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Q163383: Failure to Obtain IP Address Via DHCP on Token Ring w/ SP2

Article: Q163383
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
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 Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you run Windows NT version 4.0, with Service Pack 2 applied, in a source
routed Token Ring environment and configured as a DHCP client, you may receive
the following message when you start:

  The DHCP client could not obtain an IP address.

  If you want to see DHCP messages in the future, choose YES, otherwise choose
  NO.

Event ID 1003 may be logged in the System.log file, and visible in Event Viewer
with the following detail:

  DHCP failed to obtain a lease for the card with network address <12-digit
  hexadecimal media access control address of the local network adapter>.
  The following error occurred: The semaphore timeout period had expired.

CAUSE
=====

This problem was caused by the way that Tcpip.sys read the registry value that
indicates that source routing should be used.

RESOLUTION
==========

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide
problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft
cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can
be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

To change this value in the Registry on the client, perform the following steps:

1. Start the Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).

2. Go to the following key in the Registry:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ 
  Tcpip\Parameters

3. Change the ArpAlwaysSourceRoute value to 1. If this value is not present,
  click on Edit, Add Value, and enter the following settings:

  Value Type: REG_DWORD - Boolean
  Valid Range: 0,1 (False or True)
  Default: 0 (False)

4. Restart the computer for the change to take effect.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. This
problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 U.S. Service Pack.
For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

  S E R V P A C K


Additional query words: prodnt dhcp

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Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0

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