NetBIOS Scope ID All Uppercase in Windows NT 4.0

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SUMMARY

In Windows NT 4.0, a NetBIOS Scope ID can only be typed in uppercase in the TCP/IP Protocol Properties dialog box. This entry is therefore stored in the registry in uppercase. However, the Windows NT 4.0 dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) manager scope option 047 allows the NetBIOS Scope ID to be case sensitive. If this is not configured with all uppercase characters, clients who have static TCP/IP properties will not be able to communicate with DHCP clients.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, do either of the following:

• Ensure that the NetBIOS Scope ID entered in scope option 047 of the DHCP manager is entered only in uppercase characters.

  -or-

• For computers with static entries, change characters in a NetBIOS Scope ID to a mixed-case or a lowercase value by doing the following:

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).

2. Navigate to the following key in the registry:

         HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetBT
         \parameters\
   

3. Change the ScopeID value to the correct mixed or lowercase value.

4. Restart the computer for the change to take effect.

STATUS

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