FIX: DCOMCNFG Fails on a Backup Domain Controller

• Microsoft OLE Libraries, used with:
  • Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit (SDK)
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

When using DComCnfg.exe to set the identity of a COM server to a specific user account on a Windows NT server that is a Backup Domain Controller(BDC), it displays an error message "Incorrect Function" or "Invalid Function". When a client attempts to launch the server, the activation fails.

CAUSE

This is caused by a bug in DCOMCNFG.EXE. DCOMCNFG tries to grant a specific right("SeBatchLogonRight") to the user account on the BDC. This is an invalid operation for a BDC because a BDC has a read-only copy of the user accounts database. Any change to the accounts database must be done on the Primary Domain Controller(PDC). Then the change is replicated to the BDC.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

This has been fixed in Windows 2000.

Additional query words:

Keywords : NT4SP4Fix kbDCOM kbKernBase kbNTOS400bug kbOLE200 kbSDKWin32 kbSecurity kbNTOS400sp4fix kbGrpCom kbDSupport
Version : :; winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug