Logon Attempt Does Not Work on Computers with Windows NT Newly Installed

ID: Q223997

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

NOTE: The hotfix described in this article must be applied to Windows NT Workstation, Windows NT Server, or Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition during the update to Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 or Service Pack 5. This hotfix is not compatible with computers running an earlier service pack.

The following problem may occur when you are updating to a service pack immediately after you initially install Windows NT. This problem may also occur during the next logon attempt to a computer if its account is deleted from and then added to the domain again.

When you attempt to log on to a computer on which you just installed Windows NT, the following error message may be displayed:

The system cannot log you on because the system's computer account in it's primary domain is missing or the password on that account is incorrect.


CAUSE

This problem is caused by Netlogon.dll on the client computer. The update created to correct the problem must be installed on the client computer.

When a Windows NT-based computer joins a domain during installation or a computer is added to the domain (or is re-added), a machine account is created on the primary domain controller (PDC). If the PDC is running Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 or later, the new account is not replicated to backup domain controllers (BDCs) until the next scheduled Netlogon replication interval. Prior to Service Pack 4, the PDC would replicate all machine account updates immediately. When a domain user logs on or an auto-logon to the domain is performed, the client computer establishes a session with either the PDC or one of the BDCs. If a BDC does not have the computer account in its database, it will return "User Unknown" response to the client computer logon request. Upon receiving this response, the client computer stops processing the logon request and displays the above message.

NOTE: The default Netlogon replication pulse is five minutes, but is configurable. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q142692 Minimizing WAN Traffic


RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. 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
The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: 

   Date      Time     Size      File name      Platform
   ----------------------------------------------------
   04/28/99  05:41p   188,176   Netlogon.dll   x86
   04/27/99  05:38p   310,544   Netlogon.dll   Alpha

NOTE: There is also a version of this hotfix that replaces the Netlogon.dll file that is included with Windows NT 4.0. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q243643 Logon Attempt Does Not Work After New Windows NT Installation
You must use both updates to fully correct the problem described in this article. The changes in both versions allow the client computer to continue processing logon responses until it receives a valid response or until a time-out occurs. The time-out period is related to several factors, but is typically three to five seconds. The error message is displayed if a time-out occurs and a valid logon response has not been received by the client.

This hotfix is typically applied to systems during the update to either Service Pack 4 or Service Pack 5. If you need to install this hotfix after one of these service packs is already installed, follow the "Automatic Installation" instructions in the Readme.txt file included with the hotfix.

When you install the hotfix at the same time as a service pack, you need to modify the folder containing the service pack files. In this case, you must use over-the-network installations or installations that pre-copy the files to the local hard disk. You cannot use the hotfix when installing the service pack from a standard Windows NT CD-ROM or Windows NT service pack CD-ROM.

To install the hotfix along with the service pack update, use the following steps:
  1. In the appropriate platform service pack installation folder (I386 or Alpha), create a subfolder called "Hotfix."


  2. Copy the following files from this update into the Hotfix folder:


    • Hotfix.exe


    • Hotfix.inf


    • Netlogon.dll


  3. Run Update.exe to install the service pack. Update.exe automatically calls Hotfix.exe when it is finished to install the updated Netlogon.dll file.


NOTE: When you use this method, an uninstallation folder is not created for this hotfix.


WORKAROUND

You can use one of the following methods to work around this problem:

  • Add all computer accounts prior to installing Windows NT on the computers, making sure that the entire domain is synchronized before continuing with installation.


  • Use an LMHOST file that has a #PRE #DOM entry with the primary domain controller's IP address specified.



STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0.

Additional query words: announce immediate

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


Last Reviewed: December 16, 1999
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