DSMN Synchronization Problem Causes Application Event 8020 (188356)

SYMPTOMS

When DSMN attempts to synchronize with a NetWare server, the following error may appear in Event Viewer:

   Application Log
   Event ID: 8020
   Description:
   The sync agent service failed to modify account <account name> on the
   NetWare server <servername> due to error 53.

CAUSE

This event is logged in Event Viewer when DSMN attempts to synchronize with the NetWare server if a user has changed his password by using Setpass on the NetWare server and not through Windows NT. Changes made in this manner are not propagated back from the NetWare server to DSMN and the account cannot now be synchronized by DSMN.

RESOLUTION

Always change passwords using Windows NT.

If password synchronization problems are caused by users rather than network (router) configuration issues, there are three corrective methods depending upon the number of user accounts affected:

Few Users

Change the password back to the original password on the NetWare server. Then, using DSMN Synchronization Manager, highlight the NetWare server being managed, select NetWare Server, select Synchronize Selected Server. After the synchronization is complete, change the password on Windows NT.
Remove the user account on the NetWare server. DSMN will then re-create the account as part of the normal synchronization process. Change the password on Windows NT.

Many Users

Remove the NetWare server from DSMN management, and then add it back as a managed server.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

ARTICLE-ID: 154761
TITLE : DSMN How to Recover from a Loss of the Account Synchronization

ARTICLE-ID: 154760
TITLE : How to Use the DSMN Utility to Verify Synchronized Passwords

ARTICLE-ID: 148678
TITLE : How To Synchronize A NetWare Server Using DSMN