Error Message: No Domain Server Was Available...

ID: Q152791


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release version 2
  • Microsoft Windows 98


SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to log on to a Microsoft Windows NT domain using only the TCP/IP protocol, the domain controller may not be found, generating the following error message:

No domain server was available to validate your password. You may not be able to gain access to some network resources.

After this occurs, you cannot log on to the domain until you restart your computer.


CAUSE

This problem can occur when the NetBIOS interface for TCP/IP (VNBT) is unable to allocate a buffer needed while you are logging on. This is more likely to occur in low-memory conditions.


RESOLUTION

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


   VNBT.386  version 4.00.953  dated 6/13/96  95,481 bytes 

A version of this file which resolves this problem is included in the Windows Sockets 2.0 update for Windows 95. For information on obtaining this update, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q182108
TITLE : Availability of Windows Sockets 2.0 for Windows 95



STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 95. 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 information in this article applies to TCP/IP only. To determine if you are experiencing this problem, use the following method:

  • Add the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol to the client computer and the server computer and try to log on again. If you are unable to log on to the NT Domain, the fix mentioned in this article may not apply.




If you receive the error message when you dial into a Windows NT RAS server, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q154434
TITLE : Err Msg: No Domain Controller Was Available to Validate...



For additional information about issues resolved by updates to this component, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q168747
TITLE : Update to Windows 95 TCP/IP to Address Out-of-Band Issue

ARTICLE-ID: Q163770
TITLE : Cannot Log On to Windows NT Domain w/ DNS Name Resolution Only

ARTICLE-ID: Q141514
TITLE : Wrong IP Address Chosen from WINS Server


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

Keywords : kbnetwork kbpolicy msnets win95 win98
Version : WINDOWS:95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: July 2, 1999
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