Cannot Enter All Values for Slow Network Connection Timeout

ID: Q246638

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0, 4.0 SP1, 4.0 SP2, 4.0 SP3, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5, 4.0 SP6
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0, 4.0 SP1, 4.0 SP2, 4.0 SP3, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5, 4.0 SP6

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

When you try to enter a very large value for the Slow Network Connection Timeout setting in the Windows NT User Profiles policy while creating or editing a computer policy, you may be unable to enter a value greater than 20,000. This may occur even though the following related registry key has a well-documented range of possible values from 0-120,000 milliseconds:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Currentversion\Winlogon\SlowLinkTimeout

Also, if you edit the Winnt.adm file to specify the correct range of 0-120,000 for this policy, the Poledit user interface may malfunction and display negative values for this parameter when you use the interface controls to enter a value.

CAUSE

This problem can occur by having the maximum entry for the Slow Network Connection Timeout value incorrectly set to 20,000 in the %SystemRoot%\Inf\Winnt.adm file. Also, Poledit.exe only uses 16-bit integers for the minimum and maximum values associated with the numeric interface value entry controls.

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. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows NT 4.0 service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, 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
   -------------------------------------------------------------
   15/11/99   20:07   123,152   Poledit.exe   Intel
   15/11/99   19:38    24,475   Winnt.adm     Intel

   15/11/99   20:07   194,320   Poledit.exe   Alpha
   15/11/99   19:37    24,475   Winnt.adm     Alpha

WORKAROUND

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).

To work around this issue, edit the appropriate registry entry. To do so, use Registry Editor to locate the following key in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Currentversion\Winlogon

Add the following value to this key

Value Name: SlowLinkTimeOut
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: value between 0-120,000.

where value between 0-120,000 is a numeric value between 0-120,000. Note that the permissible range for this registry entry is from 0-120,000 milliseconds, and the default value for this registry entry is 2,000 milliseconds.

STATUS

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

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbnetwork kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00
Version : winnt:4.0,4.0 SP1,4.0 SP2,4.0 SP3,4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5,4.0 SP6
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb