SMS: Logon Server Manager Can Deinstall Domain When PDC Connectivity Is Lost

• Microsoft Systems Management Server version 2.0 SP1

SYMPTOMS

When multiple Systems Management Server (SMS) sites share the same Microsoft Windows NT domain, Windows clients may begin to deinstall the SMS client software after performing Windows Networking Logon Client Installation or Discovery. This problem can be sporadic, with clients appearing to reinstall the SMS client during a future logon.

When you check the primary domain controller's Smslogon share, the Sites\Sitecode folder for one or a number of sites that share the logon point may be missing or empty. Additionally, the Sitescfg folder on the logon point is missing the Sitecode_cfg.lcf files for one or more sites.

These symptoms are more likely to occur on a Windows NT domain in which domain controllers exist across slow links.

CAUSE

During an SMS_NT_LOGON_SERVER_MANAGER polling interval performed by one of the sites sharing the SMS Logon Point, connectivity to the domain's primary domain controller (PDC) was lost for a short period. During the period of communications loss, the SMS site server was unable to read the configuration files in the PDC's Smslogon\Sitecfg folder. This can cause a site server that is not currently the senior site to assume the role of the senior site, and perform a domain deinstallation of all sites for which it is unable to find a Sitecode_cfg.lcf file.

You can consider the domain deinstallation process performed by Logon Server Manager to be the same as if Windows Networking Logon Installation or Windows Networking Logon had been disabled for some sites in the domain. As part of this process, the Sites\Sitecode folder on the SMS Logon Point is removed from the PDC and the Logon Point configuration is replicated to all other domain controllers in the domain. Any clients that run the SMS logon script for any of the deleted sites are unable to find the configuration files for the site on the SMS Logon Point. The SMS client, being unable to determine the site boundary from the site's Netconf.ncf file, begins the deinstallation process.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it 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://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

   Date      Time   Version          Size    File name    Platform
   ----------------------------------------------------------------
   9/23/99   2:21am 2.00.1380.1039   171,888 Nt_logon.dll i386
   9/23/99   2:21am 2.00.1380.1039    12,656 Ntlg_rem.exe i386
   9/23/99   2:21am 2.00.1380.1039   301,328 Nt_logon.dll Alpha
   9/23/99   2:21am 2.00.1380.1039    19,728 Ntlg_rem.exe Alpha 

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 2.0.

MORE INFORMATION

To install the hotfix:

1. Copy the Q242492.exe file from the disk on which you received it to a share on your network. This is an SMS Installer file that updates specific files on your site server.



2. Log on to your site server using an account with administrative privileges.



3. On the site server, close the SMS Administrator console.



4. Run the executable file that you copied in step 1 and follow the directions in the wizard.

Additional query words: prodsms LSM

Keywords : kbSMS200 kbSMS200bug
Version : winnt:2.0 SP1
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug