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Q166822: Remote Password Change Works Incorrectly to Down-Level Server

Article: Q166822
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:3.51,4.0; :
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinNT400sp4fix
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft LAN Manager 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When users attempt to manually change their passwords on a down-level LAN
Manager or LAN Server and a minimum password length policy is set, the passwords
are changed even if the new password has fewer than the required minimum number
of characters. This occurs regardless of whether users make their attempts
through the "net user/password" command from the command prompt, or from the
Change Password option in the Windows NT Security dialog box (use
CTRL+ALT+DELETE to get this dialog box).

CAUSE
=====

When a computer running Windows NT attempts to change the password, it first
attempts to create a pipe to the remote server. This action will fail, forcing
the computer to fall back on an older 16-bit API. The older API used to change
the password is not properly formatting the correct length of the new password
being sent to the remote server. The end result is that a new password of the
same length as the old password is created. As long as the old password was
longer than the minimum password length policy, the new password is changed
regardless of its length, including if set to NULL.


RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or
Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information,
please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack


To resolve this problem, obtain the following fix for Windows NT 3.51:

The fix should have the following time stamp:

  4/30/97 9:49PM                  215,968 Netapi32.dll (Intel)
  4/30/97 9:52PM                  322,832 Netapi32.dll (Alpha)
  4/30/97 9:50PM                  339,216 Netapi32.dll (Mips)

NOTE: Service Pack 3 must be applied to Windows NT 3.51 prior to applying this
fix.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT
Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows
NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
Service Pack 4.


Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. A
supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression-tested and
should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you
are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you
wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft
Technical Support for more information.



Additional query words: net password user change remote

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Keywords          : kbWinNT400sp4fix 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch kbWinNTS351search kbAudDeveloper kbLanManSearch
Version           : winnt:3.51,4.0; :
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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