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Q135404: Multihomed Master Browser May Cause Event ID 8021 and 8032

Article: Q135404
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 2000,3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional 
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SYMPTOMS
--------

Your computer running Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 2000 may occasionally
log one or more of the following events in the Event Viewer System log:

  Event id: 8021
  Source: Browser
  Description: The browser was unable to retrieve a list of servers from the
  browser master <PDC> on the network \device\<protocol_netcard>.
  The data is the error code.

  -or-

  Event id: 8032
  Source: Browser
  Description: The browser service has failed to retrieve the backup list too
  many times on transport of <protocol_netcard>. The backup browser is
  stopping.

This symptom occurs if:

- Your computer is a multihomed computer (that is, it may link simultaneously
  to two or more subnets using multiple network cards).

- Your computer is a master browser.

- Your computer is running the TCP/IP protocol.


CAUSE
=====

The following situations can cause this symptom:

- Your computer network cards are linked to the same subnet.

- Your computer network cards are not linked directly to the same subnet, but
  are linked indirectly through other subnets that they are connected to.

- The master browser is using an incorrect subnet mask.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, do one of the following:

- Unbind all but one of the TCP/IP subnet transport bindings from the
  workstation service.

  -or-

- Remove all but one of the network cards or RAS connections.

  -or-

- At the command prompt type the following command:

  "net stop browser" (without the quotation marks)

  NOTE: This option prevents you from receiving computer browse lists from other
  networks.

After you perform these steps, wait at least 10 minutes to see if the errors
still occur. If they do, continue troubleshooting by cross- referencing 2 pieces
of information. First, check the transport that failed in the event log. For
example, error 8021 displays a message similar to the following:

  The browser was unable to retrieve a list of servers from the browser master
  \\<server_name> on the network \Device\NetBT_<driver_name>. The
  data is the error code.

The important data is NetBT_<driver_name>, which indicates the protocol and
netcard binding, also known as an "endpoint." The potential protocols you may
see are:

  Nbf_netcard = NetBEUI NetBT_netcard = TCP/IP (or NetBIOS over TCP/IP)
  NwlnkIpx = IPX/SPX (NwLink) [will not indicate netcard] NwlnkNB = NetBIOS
  over NwLink [will not indicate netcard]

After you have determined the failed protocol endpoint, check the working status
of the Browser service on all installed protocols with the Windows NT resource
kit program Browstat.exe. At a command prompt, type the following command:

  browstat status

This will enumerate the browser status on all endpoints. Look for the message
Browser is NOT active on domain under each endpoint. Disregard data about
endpoints that list "NdisWanX" (such as Device\NetBT_NdisWan5); these are RAS
endpoints and will usually list the error anyway.

You should find a protocol match between these two steps. The next step is to
record any important information about the protocol from Protocol Setup in the
Network tool in Control Panel. Then, remove the protocol, restart the computer,
and see if the error no longer gets logged (remember to wait at least 10
minutes). Then, try reinstalling the protocol, checking for the error, and
reapplying the service pack that exists on the current Windows NT installation.

If the error persists after a protocol reinstallation, you may have problems with
the network adapter card. Check with the vendor to see if there is an updated
driver, or try another network adapter card.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products that are
listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and
will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes
available.


Additional query words: tcpip multi-homed multi homed

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000Serv kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbwin2000ServSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000ProSearch kbwin2000Pro kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search kbWinAdvServSearch
Version           : :2000,3.5,3.51,4.0
Issue type        : kbbug

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