Chgpass.exe May Cause Message "Error Getting PDC Name"

- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51 and 4.0

SYMTPOMS

When a NetWare client uses Microsoft Chgpass.exe to change or synchronize passwords on File and Print Services for NetWare (FPNW) and NetWare servers, the message "Error getting PDC name" is returned.

CAUSE

When the client gets a positive response for the object queries for the FPNWPDC or SYNCPDC properties, it tries to contact the PDC in the following response frame(s):

client -> server NCP Request: Read Property Value, Object Name = MS_WINNT, Property Name = SYNCPDC

server -> client: the server only returns the PDC name (for example EVEREST) NCP Reply: Read Property Value - Success

client -> server NCP Request: Read Property Value, Object Name = EVEREST, Property Name = NET_ADDRESS

server-client: NCP Reply: Read Property Value - No such object

Because the client couldn't get the MAC address of the DSMN PDC, Chgpass.exe returns the message "Error getting PDC name."

WORKAROUND

The incorrect name of the DSMN PDC was returned by the NetWare server. If the NetWare server returns incorrect information, delete the WINNT_SYNC_AGENT user account from the NetWare server and add this NetWare server to your DSMN domain (using DSMN Synchronization Manager). This way the correct information will be written to the NetWare bindery.

For more information on adding a NetWare server to your DSMN domain, see Chapter 2 ("Adding a NetWare Server to Be Managed in a Domain") in the Administrator's Guide for Directory Service Manager for NetWare.

Be aware that a NetWare server will continue to answer the client's CHGPASS question regardless of whether it is a DSMN- added NetWare server (NCP Request: Read Property Value, Object Name = MS_WINNT, Property Name = SYNCPDC). Also be aware that if this NetWare server wasn't properly deleted using the DSMN Synchronization Manager, it will return the original DSMN domain and PDC name. If this happens, use the NetWare utility Setpass.exe to change the password on the NetWare server, because this utility doesn't check for DSMN functionality.

MORE INFORMATION

If Microsoft Chgpass.exe is involved, the following will happen:

1. The client opens Chgpass.exe on an FPNW server and reads the .exe file:

   NCP Request: File Open PUBLIC\CHGPASS.EXE NCP Request: File Read NCP Request: Burst Read: 22,840 bytes

1. The client checks to see if the servers it is attached to are real

NCP Request: Read Property Value, Object Name = MS_EXTENDED_NCPS, Property Name = FPNWPDC

An FPNW server will respond with the PDC and domain name of the account domain.

1. The client asks the FPNW server for the MAC address of the PDC, and the

NCP Request: Read Property Value, Object Name = Name_of_PDC, Property Name = NET_ADDRESS

1. The client connects via remote procedure call (RPC) over SPX to the PDC

Request: File Open PUBLIC\RPC16C6.RPC

1. If the response to the request in item 2 is negative, the client checks

NCP Request: Read Property Value, Object Name = MS_WINNT, Property Name = SYNCPDC

The PDC name returned is from the domain that added this NetWare server to the DSMN Synchronization Manager. The WINNT_SYNC_AGENT NetWare user account that is created when DSMN Synchronization Manager is installed on Windows NT is an indication that the NetWare server is managed by DSMN and that it will respond to this request.

If the NetWare server is neither an FPNW server nor a DSMN- added server, it will answer both Read Property Value requests with "no such object," causing the NetWare client to change the password directly on this NetWare server as Setpass.exe from Novell would do.

1. The client asks the NetWare server for the MAC address of the PDC and

NCP Request: Read Property Value, Object Name = Name_of_PDC, Property Name = NET_ADDRESS

1. The password of the user is changed on the PDC of the DSMN domain the

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 3.51 and 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.