SMS: Logon Server Manager Can Deinstall Domain When PDC Connectivity Is Lost (242492)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 SP1
This article was previously published under Q242492

SYMPTOMS

When multiple Systems Management Server (SMS) sites share the same Microsoft Windows NT domain, Windows clients may begin to deinstall the SMS client software after performing Windows Networking Logon Client Installation or Discovery. This problem can be sporadic, with clients appearing to reinstall the SMS client during a future logon.

When you check the primary domain controller's Smslogon share, the Sites\Sitecode folder for one or a number of sites that share the logon point may be missing or empty. Additionally, the Sitescfg folder on the logon point is missing the Sitecode_cfg.lcf files for one or more sites.

These symptoms are more likely to occur on a Windows NT domain in which domain controllers exist across slow links.

CAUSE

During an SMS_NT_LOGON_SERVER_MANAGER polling interval performed by one of the sites sharing the SMS Logon Point, connectivity to the domain's primary domain controller (PDC) was lost for a short period. During the period of communications loss, the SMS site server was unable to read the configuration files in the PDC's Smslogon\Sitecfg folder. This can cause a site server that is not currently the senior site to assume the role of the senior site, and perform a domain deinstallation of all sites for which it is unable to find a Sitecode_cfg.lcf file.

You can consider the domain deinstallation process performed by Logon Server Manager to be the same as if Windows Networking Logon Installation or Windows Networking Logon had been disabled for some sites in the domain. As part of this process, the Sites\Sitecode folder on the SMS Logon Point is removed from the PDC and the Logon Point configuration is replicated to all other domain controllers in the domain. Any clients that run the SMS logon script for any of the deleted sites are unable to find the configuration files for the site on the SMS Logon Point. The SMS client, being unable to determine the site boundary from the site's Netconf.ncf file, begins the deinstallation process.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Systems Management Server version 2.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

236325 How to Obtain the Latest Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 2.0 This problem was first corrected in Systems Management Server version 2.0 Service Pack 2..

MORE INFORMATION

To install the hotfix:
  1. Copy the Q242492.exe file from the disk on which you received it to a share on your network. This is an SMS Installer file that updates specific files on your site server.
  2. Log on to your site server using an account with administrative privileges.
  3. On the site server, close the SMS Administrator console.
  4. Run the executable file that you copied in step 1 and follow the directions in the wizard.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/7/2006
Keywords:kbQFE KBHotfixServer kbBug kbfix kbsms200sp2fix KB242492
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