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Q167023: Windows NT Workstation Sends SMB Request Continuously

Article: Q167023
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:3.51,4.0
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 versions 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

A user with administrator privileges from the accounts domain logs on to a
computer running Windows NT Workstation 4.0. The workstation is in the resource
domain. If the user connects to a share on the Primary Domain Controller (PDC)
of the resource domain through Windows Explorer or Network Neighborhood,
right-clicks a directory in the share, selects the security tab and selects
permissions, the workstation begins to loop. File Manager can be used to connect
to the shared directory in question. Querying the security information will
produce the same symptoms. This loop is not detectable through the UI of the
workstation or the server. It is only detected through a network analyzer trace.
The same packets are continuously sent between the workstation and server until
the Windows Explorer dialog boxes are closed.

CAUSE
=====

The workstation continuously requests a notify change for the shared directory
that it connected to, and the server will respond with INVALID USER IDENTIFIER
ERROR (91). The application, Windows Explorer, indicates that change notify
completed successfully and resubmits a subsequent change notify request. The
workstation continues to send the "notify change" request and the server
continues to respond with the error message. This loop will continue until the
user on the workstation cancels the operation by closing Network Neighborhood or
Windows Explorer. This problem only occurs the first time that a user performs
the operation in question. If the user shuts down Windows Explorer and tries
again, the extra packets are not produced. The workstation must be restarted.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, explicitly establish a connection to the server
through Net use \\servername\ipc$.

RESOLUTION
==========

Obtain the fix mentioned below or wait for the next Windows NT service pack.
Rdr.sys has been fixed. A failure indication is returned to the application,
Windows Explorer, in the case of the change notify query. As a result, the
application does not submit a subsequent change notify request.

STATUS
======

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.


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:

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Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS351search
Version           : winnt:3.51,4.0
Issue type        : kbbug

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