SMS: Audit16 Fails on Long User Names

ID: Q193421

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.2

SYMPTOMS

Audit16 will fail if it encounters a user name string that is longer than 32 characters. An audit MIF will not be produced, and the following error will be in the audit log file:


   A File error occurred:  File read error in SMS.INI file.

CAUSE

Audit16 reads the user name from the [User Name] section of the Sms.ini file. Audit16 stores this user name in a 32-character buffer. If the string is longer than 32 characters, Audit16 gets a fatal error and is stopped.

Typically, these long user names occur on Novell NDS clients, and are of the form:


   username.department.section.division.Corporate

RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Systems Management Server service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/default.asp

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:


   Date       Time               Size    File name   Platform
   ----------------------------------------------------------
   09/28/98   02:19pm            134,348 Audit16.exe (x86)

NOTE: If you contact Microsoft to obtain this fix, a fee may be charged. This fee is refundable if it is determined that you only require the fix you requested. However, this fee is non-refundable if you request additional technical support, if your no-charge technical support period has expired, or if you are not eligible for standard no-charge technical support.

For more information about eligibility for no-charge technical support, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q154871 Determining If Your Product Is Eligible for No-Charge Technical Support

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, you can manually reduce the user name string in the [User Name] section of the Sms.ini to fewer than 32 characters.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 1.2.

MORE INFORMATION

To install the hotfixm perform the following steps:

Replace the Audit16.exe file in the <Sms_root>\Primsite.srv\Audit\Package\X86.bin directory with the hotfixed version.

NOTE: You can perform Step 1 automatically by using Hotfix.exe with the provided Hotfix.ini file.

If you have already distributed an audit job to your clients, send a new job and select the Send Even If Previously Sent option. This will cause the despooler to update the package on the distribution servers.

Additional query words: prodsms win16 wfw username terminates

Keywords : kbSMS120 kbDSupport kbbug1.20 smsaudit
Version : WINNT:1.2
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug