DFS Home Directory Prevents Other DFS Connections

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

SYMPTOMS

When you use Distributed File System (DFS) services on a computer running Windows NT 4.0 and you create volumes (leafs) pointing to other shares on the server, [and in User Manager you assign a home directory path to a DFS volume (leaf)] you will be able to log on to the computer and the home directory connection will be made. However, when you try to connect to the DFS Root again, the following error message will be displayed:

   "The credentials supplied conflict with an existing set of
   credentials."

CAUSE

When you view the sessions for this server in Server Manager you will notice that an administrative connection has been made to the DFS Root, however, the connection to the volume (leaf) will be displayed as having user credentials. During the logon process the system creates a session to the DFS Root so the system can read the attached volumes (leafs.) That session is created under the administrative credentials so all future connections will conflict because the user credential is being supplied. Because the system created the original session, stopping the administrative session will not work because the system requires this session for the home directory.

RESOLUTION

Currently, the only way to resolve this situation is to use standard Server Message Block (SMB) shares and not use DFS for the home directories.

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.