DNS Registry Parameter - AddressAnswerLimit

 Last reviewed: December 5, 1997
Article ID: Q164300
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

The Windows 95 Domain Name Service (DNS) resolver may have a problem when receiving a DNS response packet that contains greater than 28 addresses. For example, if you have 29 A records with the same host name, but different IP addresses, and a Windows 95 client attempts to resolve that name, the query will fail with the following error message: 

   Bad IP Address

RESOLUTION

There is a new registry value for Windows NT 4.0 that allows you to limit the number of A records returned for a DNS query to between five and twenty eight.

To enable this change, obtain the following fix, or wait for the next Windows NT service pack.

This hotfix has been posted to the following Internet location: 

   ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT40/
   hotfixes-postSP2/dns-fix
To implement this change, do the following:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

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. Install the hotfix or Service Pack mentioned above.

  2. Click the Start button, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Services icon.

  3. Select Microsoft DNS Server Service, and then click Stop. Or from an MS-DOS command prompt type: 

          net stop DNS

  4. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) and go to the following subkey: 

          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
      \DNS\Parameters

    NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.

  5. On the Edit menu, click Add Value.

  6. Type the following values: 

          Value Name: AddressAnswerLimit
      Data Type: REG_DWORD
      Value: A value between 5 and 28

  7. Close Registry Editor.

  8. Click the Start button, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Services icon. Select the Microsoft DNS Server Service, and then click Start. Or from an MS-DOS command prompt type: 

          net start DNS.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. 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. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information. 

Keywords          : kbbug4.00 NTSrv nttcp kbnetwork
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Platform          : winnt
Issue type        : kbbug

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Last reviewed: December 5, 1997
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