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Q120715: Problems Associated with the Servers Group

Article: Q120715
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 1.1,2.x,3.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

3.10 3.50

WINDOWS

kbnetwork

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5 
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 
- Microsoft LAN Manager, versions 1.1, 2.x 
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SUMMARY
=======

Windows NT Server and Windows NT Advanced Server use the Servers group to
recognize LAN Manager servers participating in the Windows NT Server or Windows
NT Advanced Server domain. (In the remainder of this article, Windows NT Server
also refers to Windows NT Advanced Server.) When a LAN Manager server is added
to the domain as a backup domain controller (BDC), its Machine account is added
to the Servers group.

When PORTUAS or the Upgrade Manager is used to transfer the User Account
information from an existing LAN Manager primary domain controller (PDC) to a
new Windows NT PDC, the Servers group is transferred, as are the user accounts
that were created for each of the servers.

If the Servers group contains the wrong server accounts, problems will result.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Below is a list of potential problems, their causes and solutions:

- Windows NT machine is listed in Server Manager as a LAN Manager server.

  Reason: The machine name of that server matches the machine name of a member
  of the Servers group in the domain.

  Solution: Remove that server account from the Servers group.

- Windows NT Server attempts to synchronize account database with LAN Manager
  servers in a different domain, or, LAN Manager is not properly synchronizing
  the User Account database.

  Reason: The Netlogon service reads the Servers group to find the list of
  servers it should send user account database updates to. It sends to the
  specific server name. It doesn't validate which domain the machine is a
  member of. For additional information, please see the following article in
  the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  ARTICLE-ID: Q113409
  TITLE : LAN Manager UAS Corrupted after Importing into NTAS Domain

  Solution: Remove server account(s) from the Servers group, or add the server
  to the Servers group.

- LAN Manager server cannot be promoted to BDC from standalone role if the PDC
  is a Windows NT Server.

  Reason: A user account for the Server Name already exists in the Windows NT
  Server domain and in the local user account information on the LAN Manager
  server. The passwords don't match.

  Solution: Use Server Manager to create a machine account for the LAN Manager
  server. Remove any user account for the Server name on the Windows NT Server
  domain and on the LAN Manager server while in standalone role.

- LAN Manager server does not appear in Server Manager when View Domain Members
  Only is selected, or LAN Manager server that is NOT part of the domain is
  shown when View Domain Members Only is selected.

  Reason: Server Manager does not check with the LAN Manager servers when
  displaying information, but it checks the Servers group. If a LAN Manager
  server is on the network and communicating with the Windows NT Server, it
  will be listed in Server Manager. If the LAN Manager server isn't included in
  the Servers group, it will not appear to the Windows NT Server as part of its
  domain. On the other hand, if a server that is not part of the domain is
  included in the Servers group, it appears as a domain member in Server
  Manager.

- Netlogon service fails in a LAN Manager domain, LAN Manager users are not
  able to log on.

  Reasons: A LAN Manager PDC is upgraded to a Windows NT Server and the original
  LAN Manager domain is left intact. PORTUAS creates computer accounts on the
  Windows NT Server for each of the LAN Manager servers in the original Servers
  group. Server accounts will then exist in both domains, the LAN Manager
  domain and the new Windows NT Server domain.

  Solution: Remove the servers group and/or server accounts from one of the
  machines; either the new Windows NT Server PDC or the LAN Manager PDC. Use
  Server Manager to remove the server account from the Windows NT Server
  domain.

- Replication and trust relationships function incorrectly between Windows NT
  Server and LAN Manager domains.

  Reason: Duplicate server accounts exist in different domains, and are members
  of the Servers group on one or both of the domains.

  Solution: Remove the servers group and/or server accounts from one of the
  domains; either the new Windows NT Server PDC or the LAN Manager PDC. Use
  Server Manager to remove the server account from the Windows NT Server
  domain.

Additional query words: prodnt 3.10

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT350search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTS350search kbAudDeveloper kbLanManSearch kbLanMan110 kbLanMan200xSearch
Version           : :1.1,2.x,3.5

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