Excessive Network Retransmissions While Running CSNW

ID: Q196051

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

Client Services for NetWare (CSNW) may retransmit an NCP packet in 110 ms. The retransmission of 110 ms will occur in a network with a tick count of 2 being announced.

CAUSE

Windows NT uses the TickCount in the NetWare routing packet as a round trip time. In reality, TickCount is the number of ticks it takes a packet to reach the remote destination. One tick equals one-sixteenth of a second. The tick out is used by Windows NT to calculate when to retransmit a packet because it did not receive a response.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or the individual software update. For information on obtaining the latest service pack, please go to:

http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/ServicePacks/

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

For information on obtaining the individual software update, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. 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

NOTE: If this product was already installed on your computer when you purchased it from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and you need this fix, please call the Pay Per Incident number listed on the above Web site. If you contact Microsoft to obtain this fix, and if it is determined that you only require the fix you requested, no fee will be charged. However, if you request additional technical support, and if your no-charge technical support period has expired, or if you are not eligible for standard no-charge technical support, you may be charged a non-refundable fee.

For more information about eligibility for no-charge technical support, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q154871 Determining If You Are Eligible for No-Charge Technical Support

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT version 4.0 Service Pack 5.

MORE INFORMATION

A tunable parameter has been added to allow the user to increase the tick count on a CSNW client. This parameter will add a user specified number of ticks to the tick count on a client. This user specified value will be added to all tick counts on a system. This will increase the amount of time it takes for Windows NT to retransmit a packet.

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

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

Start Registry Editor and go to the following subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services \NwRdr\Parameters

Choose Add Key from the Edit menu and use the following information:

Value Name: TickCountModifier Data Type: REG_DWORD Value: 1 to 255 Value that the tickcounts should be increased by

Additional query words: 4.00

Keywords : kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 nt4sp5fix
Version : WinNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug