Access Denied When Synchronizing or Promoting a BDC

ID: Q197488

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

You receive an "Access Denied" error message when you attempt to promote and/or synchronize a backup domain controller (BDC) to primary domain controller (PDC) after you apply Service Pack 4 to one or more domain controllers. This error message occurs if you attempt to perform the promotion from a domain controller running Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3 (SP3).

This issue also occurs if you attempt to perform the synchronization from a PDC running SP3 to a BDC running Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.

CAUSE

Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 upgrades Windows NT 4.0 security making synchronization from a computer running Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3 impossible. This upgrade also makes promoting a domain controller from a computer running Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3 impossible.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, upgrade the PDC to Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.

MORE INFORMATION

Note that a Windows NT 3.51 SP5 backup domain controller will have the same behavior as a Windows NT 4.0 SP3 backup domain controller.

Additional query words: SP3 SP4

Keywords : kbnetwork ntdomain ntsecurity
Version : winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb