Group Policies Are Not Recognized with MSNDS

ID: Q149415

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 95
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SYMPTOMS

After you install the Microsoft Service for NetWare Directory Services (MSNDS), group policies may no longer work. This problem is more evident when you are connecting to a Novell NetWare 3.1x server.


CAUSE

NetWare servers require that user names be submitted in all uppercase letters. The MSNDS client allows you to submit your user name in lowercase or uppercase letters. If you enter your user name in the logon dialog box in lowercase letters, group policies are ignored.


RESOLUTION

This issue is resolved by the following updated file for Windows 95 and OSR2, and later versions of this file:

GROUPPOL.DLL (no version info) dated 3/25/96 11,776 bytes
NOTE: The GROUPPOL.DLL file does not contain version information.


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 95 and OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2). An update to address this problem is now available, but is not fully regression tested and should be applied only to computers experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft does not recommend implementing this update at this time. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for additional information about the availability of this update.

This issue is resolved in Microsoft Windows 98.


MORE INFORMATION

The following conditions must be true for group policies to work properly:

  1. User profiles must be enabled. To verify that user profiles are enabled, follow these steps:

    1. In Control Panel, double-click Passwords.


    2. Click the User Profiles tab.


    3. Verify that "Users can customize their preferences and desktop settings..." is selected.


    4. Click OK.




  2. The preferred server must be selected in Network properties. To verify this, follow these steps:

    1. In Control Panel, double-click Network.


    2. Click the Configuration tab.


    3. In the Primary Network Logon box, click Client For NetWare Networks.


    4. In the "The following network components are installed" box, click Client For NetWare Networks, and then click Properties.


    5. On the General tab, verify that a preferred server is selected.


    6. Click OK or Close until you return to Control Panel.


    NOTE: The Config.pol file must be located in the Public folder on the preferred server.


  3. The registry must contain the following entries:

    • Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Network\Logon
      Value name (STRING): PolicyHandler
      Value data: GROUPPOL.DLL, ProcessPolicies


    • Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\ MSNP32\NetworkProvider
      Value name (STRING): GroupFcn
      Value data: GROUPPOL.DLL, NTGetUserGroups


    • Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\ NWNP32\NetworkProvider
      Value name (STRING): GroupFcn
      Value data: GROUPPOL.DLL, NWGetUserGroups


    If any of these entries does not exist, use either of the following methods:

    • Reinstall group policies from the Windows 95 CD-ROM. This replaces the revised Grouppol.dll file with the original file. If you use this method, make sure to copy the revised Grouppol.dll file over the original file in the Windows\System folder. This is the recommended method.


    • Manually edit the registry and add the missing value(s).

      NOTE: For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

      WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.





Note that the person setting up group policies on an NDS server must also administer the NDS tree to supply an NDS volume and the path to a Config.pol file. Bindery services do not need this information because the correct location for the policy file is looked at automatically. NDS servers need to be told where the policy file is located.

For additional information about issues resolved by updates to this component, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q150687 Group Policies Not Applied on Windows NT Domain

For additional information about Windows 95 updates, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q161020 Implementing Windows 95 Updates

Additional query words: system policy

Keywords : win95
Version : 95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: June 30, 1999
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