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Q156425: Importing an LMHOSTS File During Windows NT 4.0 Setup

Article: Q156425
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

As with Windows NT 3.x, an LMHOSTS file can be imported during installation to
enable a computer running Windows NT Workstation 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0 to
join a domain across a router when WINS is not available to facilitate name
resolution. The TCP/IP configuration options presented during setup depend on
whether DHCP client support is selected on the client.

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

If the TCP/IP protocol is selected in the "Installing Windows NT Networking"
phase of Windows NT Setup, the user is prompted with the question:

  If there is a DHCP server on your network, TCP/IP can be configured to
  dynamically provide an IP address. If you are not sure, ask your System
  Administrator. Do you wish to use DHCP? Yes/No.

If the YES option is selected, the TCP/IP configuration dialog is bypassed, along
with the ability to configure the following:

- Import an LMHOSTS file.

  For more information, see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge
  base:

  ARTICLE-ID: Q101927
  TITLE : The Lmhosts File for TCP/IP in Windows NT

  ARTICLE-ID: Q180094
  TITLE : How to Write an LMHOSTS File for Domain Validation

  ARTICLE-ID: Q180099
  TITLE : Troubleshooting LMHOSTS Name Resolution Issues

- Manually specify WINS server address (useful if you want multiple domain
  controllers to register with the same WINS server).

- Enable TCP/IP routing.

- Define DNS address and domain name.

The TCP/IP configuration information can be configured with DHCP enabled by
clicking the "Back" button two times from the following dialogue box:

  Windows NT is now ready to start the network so that you can complete the
  installation of networking. Click Next to start the network. Click Back to
  stop the network if it is running.

Click the Back button two times to go back to the TCP/IP Properties screen. Here,
you can choose to import the LMHOSTS file.

Unlike previous versions of Windows NT, the LMHOSTS file can be accessed from any
locally available device (floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, CD-ROM drive)
during setup instead of the root directory of a:\.

NOTE: After the LMHOSTS file has been imported and networking has been
initialized, it cannot be reimported. Even though it is possible to back up and
tell the installation process to reimport LMHOSTS, it will not be written to the
cache. If the wrong LMHOSTS file is imported (for whatever reason) the
installation will have to be restarted from the very beginning. There is also no
way to remotely purge and reload the cache.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbsetup 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

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