Err Msg: There are Currently No Logon Servers Available...

 Last reviewed: November 11, 1997
Article ID: Q139410
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

SYMPTOMS

In an environment that relies on Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) to resolve NetBIOS names, the error message "There are no logon servers available to service the logon request" appears if you are an administrator and you do one or more of the following:

  • You attempt to remotely administer a trusted domain. For example, you use File Manager to assign share permissions to users from the trusted domain.
  • You attempt to select the trusted domain in User Manager for Domains.

CAUSE

The WINS database does not have the proper domain registrations for pass- through authentication. See the more information section below for more details.

This problem occurs most often in environments where the administrator has created a two-way trust between two previously independent domains. Most often, there are WINS servers in each domain and the WINS servers do not replicate their databases to each other.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem:

  • Allow WINS dynamic registration.

    This ensures that Domain Controllers register their DOMAIN<1C> NetBIOS names with the WINS Server.

  • Make certain that WINS database replication is successful between WINS Servers. Missing database entries for domain names may indicate Problems with the WINS Servers and replication.

To work around this problem: 

   NOTE: Microsoft does not recommend using static mappings in the WINS
   database for WINS enabled computers.

  • Run the WINS Administration Utility to add static mappings for the Domain<1C> registrations (of the trusted domain) that are not listed in the WINS database: 

          Name:        Master DOMAIN Name
      IP Address:  Address of the Primary Domain Controller (PDC) of the
                   domain
      Type:        Internet Group
    If you are logged on as an administrator at a Domain Controller, remote administration works now successfully. If you are attempting to remotely administer the domain while logged on to a Server (not a domain controller) or Windows NT Workstation, you must add DOMAIN<1C> entries for both the trusted and trusting domains.

    MORE INFORMATION

    To remotely administer a trusted domain, several pass-through authentication steps must take place. If the WINS database does not have the proper domain registrations, the pass-through authentication fails.

    For example, a trust is established between DOMAIN_A and DOMAIN_B. Server PDC_A is in DOMAIN_A and PDC_B is in DOMAIN_B. DOMAIN_A is the trusted (master) domain, and DOMAIN_B is the resource (trusting) domain. To establish this trust relationship, the following NetBIOS names must be resolved to IP addresses, either through WINS or broadcast: 

       NetBIOS Name      Description of Use of Name
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------
   DOMAIN_A<1B>      PDC_B uses this to query the PDC of DOMAIN_A
   PDC_A<00>         PDC_B uses this to set up a session with the PDC of
                     DOMAIN_A
   DOMAIN_A<1D>      PDC_B uses this to get DC list of DOMAIN_A
    With these three names being registered, and if your account has administrator priviledges, the trust can be established and the message "The trust relationship was established successfully" appears. When you reboot the computer, or the first time you attempt remote administration, another NetBIOS name is needed: 

       NetBIOS Name   Description of Use of Name
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

   DOMAIN_A<1C>   Each Domain Controller in DOMAIN_B uses this name to
                  establish a secure channel with a Domain Controller in
                  the trusted domain.
    The Domain Controller (DC) in the trusting domain attempts to create a secure channel with any DC in the trusted domain by making a multicast logon request to the NetBIOS name DOMAIN_A<1C>. This logon request is part of a process that creates a Secure Channel between the two DCs. The logon ID in this logon request is the inter-domain trust account for the trusting domain, DOMAIN_B$. If there is no registration for DOMAIN_A<1C> in the WINS database the error message STATUS_NO_LOGON_SERVERS is returned to the call. The message "There are currently no logon servers available" is then returned to the user.

    For additional information about special NetBIOS name registrations in WINS, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

       ARTICLE-ID: Q119495
   TITLE     : List of Names Registered with WINS Service

    • Additional query words: prodnt winfile netlogon trusts access denied
    Keywords : NTSrvWkst nttcp kbnetwork
    Version : 3.5 3.51 4.0
    Platform : winnt

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    Last reviewed: November 11, 1997
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