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Q153375: Failure to Modify User Accounts

Article: Q153375
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.1 3.50 3.51
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If you attempt to add a user or modify an existing user account, you receive the
following error:

  The transaction state of a registry subkey is incompatible with the requested
  operation

CAUSE
=====

This problem occurs when the %Systemroot%\Netlogon.chg file is corrupted, or has
the read-only file attribute set.

RESOLUTION
==========

To correct this problem, ensure that the read-only attribute is not set for the
Netlogon.chg file, or delete the file. This file is located on the primary
domain controller (PDC) and all backup domain controllers (BDCs), but is only
used on the PDC.

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

The Netlogon.chg file is located on the PDC and keeps track of the changes made
to the security databases. Each change to the security databases is recorded in
the change log along with the change serial number. The serial number is
maintained separately for each of the three security databases. The security
databases are actually three separate databases: the SAM Accounts database, the
SAM Built-in database, and the LSA database. The SAM Built-in database contains
all the default local groups installed with the system. The SAM Accounts
database include all other SAM objects: users, global groups, site-specific
local groups, and global security policy. The LSA database contains user rights,
secret objects, and trusted domain objects.

The Netlogon.chg file is incremented once for each change to the databases. When
a BDC requests a particular change from the PDC, the PDC views the change log to
determine what changes need to be sent.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

Q102717Windows NT UAS Replication (Windows NT and LAN Manager)

Q173882Netlogon Synchronization Errors

Additional query words: logon prodnt
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Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search
Version           : 3.1 3.50 3.51

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