When you start a computer running Windows NT Workstation or Windows NT Server, the Browser service looks in the registry for the configuration parameter MaintainServerList to determine whether or not a computer will become a browser. This parameter is found under:
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters
Table 3.1 Allowable Values for the MaintainServerList parameter
Parameter Value |
|
No | This computer will never participate as a browser. |
Yes | This computer will become a browser. Upon startup, this computer attempts to contact the master browser to get a current browse list. If the master browser cannot be found, the computer will force a browser election. This computer will either be elected master browser or become a backup browser. Yes is the default value on a computer running Windows NT Server. |
Auto | This computer, referred to as a potential browser, may or may not become a browser, depending on the number of currently active browsers. The master browser notifies this computer whether or not it will become a backup browser. Auto is the default value for computers running Windows NT Workstation. |
On any computer with an entry of Yes or Auto for the MaintainServerList parameter, Windows NT Setup configures the Browser service to start automatically when the computer starts.
Another parameter in the registry, IsDomainMasterBrowser, helps to determine which servers become master browsers and backup browsers The registry path for this parameter is as shown below.
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters
Setting the IsDomainMasterBrowser parameter entry to True or Yes on a computer makes that computer a preferred master browser. A preferred master browser has priority over other computers in master browser elections. Whenever a preferred master browser starts, it forces a browser election.
Any computer running Windows NT Workstation or Windows NT Server can be configured as a preferred master browser. When the Browser service is started on the preferred master-browser computer, the Browser service forces an election. Preferred master browsers are given priority in elections, which means that if no other condition prevents it, the preferred master browser will always win the election. This gives an administrator the ability to configure a specific computer as the master browser.
To specify a computer as the preferred master browser, set the parameter entry for IsDomainMasterBrowser to True or Yes. Set the parameter in the following registry path:
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters
Unless the computer is configured as the preferred master browser, the parameter entry will always be False or No. There is no user interface for making these changes; the registry must be modified.