Slow Processing with Windows NT PDC and LAN Manager BDC

ID: Q124912

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5
Microsoft LAN Manager version 2.2

SYMPTOMS

All networks that have Windows NT version 3.5 Domain Controllers (DCs) and LAN Manager Backup Domain Controllers (BDCs) experience this problem. Some symptoms of this issue can be a general slowness of the Windows NT version 3.5 DC because of the constant syncing of the LAN Manager BDCs. Symptoms for this problem include:

Slow file directory enumeration from client workstations.

Slow printing when the printers are locally connected the client workstations.

CAUSE

A design change in Windows NT version 3.5 causes the entire membership of groups (containing new users) to be sent to the LAN Manager BDC. If the total amount of this data is greater than the buffer allocated by the BDC for the DC, it requests a larger buffer. If the second buffer is also too small, the BDC goes into a full sync condition.

WORKAROUND

To reduce the likelihood of encountering this problem, change the LAN Manager BDC so that it initially allocates a buffer of 64K.

RESOLUTION

Microsoft has changed Windows NT so it now sends a list of only the groups that new users belong to, instead of the entire membership of the groups.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server version 3.5. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for Windows NT version 3.5. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):


   S E R V P A C K

To correct this problem on your LAN Manager BDC servers, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to get the LAN Manager patch, CSD00.108.

Additional query words: prodnt 2.20 netlogon lanman NTS LM synch synchronization

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