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Q214726: Err Msg: "A Specified Logon Session Does Not Exist" with Telnet

Article: Q214726
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): ; winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 06-AUG-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Services for UNIX Add-On Pack 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you use Telnet to map a drive letter to a network share, the procedure may
not work and the following error message may be displayed:

  A specified logon session does not exist. It may already have been
  terminated.

NOTE: This problem does not affect Telnet sessions for which the user
authentication method is clear text.

CAUSE
=====

This issue occurs when you open a Telnet session to a computer running Windows
NT Server using the NTLM authentication method. You cannot then, from within the
Telnet session, connect to network resources using your implied user
credentials. You must explicitly specify your credentials when making network
connections from within the Telnet session.

There is no mechanism in Windows NT to perform delegation of security (pass
through) for network logon attempts.

For example, if you log on to the network using NTLM from computer A to computer
B, and then type "net use" at a command prompt to connect to computer C from
computer B, the connection is not made. The reason is that computer B has an
incomplete user token (it does not have your password), so the logon attempt to
computer C does not work. This behavior is rooted in NTLM being a
challenge/response protocol, and as such, it avoids sending your password across
the network.

RESOLUTION
==========

To work around this problem, always type your network credentials when you make
network attachments from within a Telnet session.

For example:

  net use * \\servername\sharename /u:domainname\username password

STATUS
======

This behavior is by design and inherent with the limitation of the NTLM
authentication protocol.


Additional query words: SFU

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTServicesUnix
Version           : :; winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbpending

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