Error 4266: WINS Connection Limit Reached

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5

SYMPTOMS

Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) servers with the option set to "replicate on address change" occasionally experience error 4266 in the error log, and show increased CPU utilization.

CAUSE

A WINS server sends a "push with propagate" message on an address change if the "replicate on address change" parameter is set (this can be set or cleared through WINS manager). If the push makes its way back to this WINS server after traversing two or more other WINS servers, it will be re- propagated by the original WINS server if that server pulls records from any of the WINS servers the message traversed.

This is because any time WINS pulls records as a result of a "trigger with propagate", it propagates the new information that it has pulled to its push partners. So, under heavy registration/release traffic conditions, the propagation can go on until one of the WINS servers in the loop (receiving this propagated trigger) determines that there is nothing to pull. That is, its information is as current as the pushing WINS server's. When this happens the push propagation stops.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.5. A fix to this problem is in development, but has not been regression-tested and may be destabilizing in production environments. Microsoft does not recommend implementing this fix at this time. Contact Microsoft Product Support Services for more information on the availability of this fix.