Boot Method Option Does Not Exist as Stated in DNS Manager Help

• 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 online help in Domain Name Service (DNS) Manager states the following:

   To specify a boot method for a DNS server

   1. In the Server List, right click the server icon.

   2. Click Properties.

   3. Click the Boot Method tab.

   4. In Boot Method, click either Boot From Registry or Boot From
      BootFile.

WORKAROUND

Your Microsoft Windows NT DNS Server can be configured to boot either from the registry or from a boot file. But, to change the default behavior, you must edit the registry. Initially, DNS will boot from the boot file. But as soon as you use DNS Manager to create or modify a zone, DNS will automatically be configured to boot from the registry.

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. Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe or Regedt32.exe).

2. Go to the following registry subkey:

         HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS\Parameters
   

3. If EnableRegistryBoot does not exist, you may need to create it using the following data:

         Value Name: EnableRegistryBoot
         Value Type: REG_DWORD
         Data      : 1 or 0  (1 for registry boot, 0 for boot file)
   
   

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.