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Q199909: DNS May Not Respond to Queries After Applying SP4

Article: Q199909
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0 SP4
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinNT400sp5fix
Last Modified: 11-JUN-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 SP4 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 SP4 
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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS
========

After applying Service Pack 4 to a Windows NT 4.0 DNS Server, the server will
appear to stop resolving queries for hosts in certain remote domains. The first
query for a host in one of these domains will succeed, but subsequent queries
for other hosts in the same domain will fail.

CAUSE
=====

The DNS code in Service Pack 4 was updated to support Ranking Data as defined in
RFC 2181 section 5.4.1. After an answer from an authoritative NS has been
cached, Windows NT DNS discontinues querying referrals to non-authoritative NSs.
The authoritative NS is cached. If the authority does not have an associated
glue record for the additional NSs, DNS will not be able to resolve the HOST RR
for the other NSs, thus causing subsequent queries to fail.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, do the following:

- Contact an administrator of the remote domain to verify that the name server
  in question has associated glue records for all authoritative NSs.

- To change the behavior of the DNS server, acquire the latest DNS hotfix from
  Microsoft Product Support Services.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or
the individual software update. For information on obtaining the latest service
pack, please go to:

- http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/ServicePacks/

-or-

- Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

For information on obtaining the individual software update, contact Microsoft
Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support
Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the
following address on the World Wide Web:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS


STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0 SP4. This
problem was first corrected in Windows NT version 4.0 Service Pack 5.

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

After the hotfix has been acquired, add the following value to the registry:

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems
that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot
guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\system\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS\Parameters

  Value Name: NoCacheRanking
  Data Type: REG_DWORD
  Value: 1

REFERENCES
==========

RFC 2181: Clarifications to the DNS Specification

  http://www.nexor.com/public/rfc/index/cgi-bin/search/form?query=2181

RFC 1034: Domain Names - Concepts and Facilities

  http://www.nexor.com/public/rfc/index/cgi-bin/search/form?query=1034

RFC 1035: Domain Names - Implementation and Specification

  http://www.nexor.com/public/rfc/index/cgi-bin/search/form?query=1035

Additional query words: SP4 cache query failed failure NS record records

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbWinNT400sp5fix 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400sp4 kbWinNTS400sp4 kbWinNTS400search
Version           : winnt:4.0 SP4
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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