Program Groups Not Created on Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 (164754)

SYMPTOMS

The Systems Management Server Program Group Control (PGC) application does not correctly create certain program groups for shared network applications on client computers running Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0. These same program groups are created properly on client computers running Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.1x, or Windows NT Workstation 3.51.

The Pgc.log log file in the client's Ms/Sms/Logs directory contains one or more of the following entries:

[date time] Program Group Control ==> Failed to write shortcut

CAUSE

Program Group Control is unable to create shortcut entries that contain invalid characters for file names. Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 use the file system to create Start menu program groups and shortcuts. Program groups are actually folders (directories) and program items are actually link (.lnk) files.

Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.1x, and Windows NT 3.5x do not create directories or files to represent program groups or items, and are therefore unaffected.

WORKAROUND

Do not use invalid characters for file names in the program group name when creating a shared network application program group through the Systems Management Server Administrator program. The following characters are invalid for directory and file names:

   backslash        \ 
   slash            / 
   colon            :
   asterisk         *
   question mark    ?
   quotation mark   "
   less than        <
   greater than     >
   pipe             |

You can confirm that no invalid characters are present by viewing the Program Group Properties window of the Systems Management Server Administrator program and noting the entry for the 'Name:' field.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 1.2. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.