You receive a "The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted" error message when you try to establish a new Terminal Services connection to a Windows Server 2003-based terminal server (902336)

SYMPTOMS

When you try to establish a new Terminal Services connection to a Windows Server 2003-based terminal server by using an account from a trusted interoperable Kerberos V5 realm, you may receive the following error message:

The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted.

Additionally, you cannot use the Terminal Server User Profile (TerminalServicesProfilePath) property, the Terminal Services Home Directory (TerminalServicesHomeDirectory) property, or other related Terminal Services properties that have been set on the user account.

Note Examples of trusted interoperable Kerberos V5 realms include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) realm and the Heimdal realm.

RESOLUTION

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Windows Server 2003 service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Prerequisites

You must have Microsoft Windows 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed.

Restart requirement

You must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2003, Itanium-based versions

File name	File version	File size	Date	Time	Platform	Service branch
Msgina.dll	5.2.3790.385	1,419,264	09-Aug-2005	23:45	IA-64	Not Applicable
Ws03res.dll	5.2.3790.385	58,880	09-Aug-2005	23:45	IA-64	Not Applicable
Wmsgina.dll	5.2.3790.385	1,192,448	09-Aug-2005	23:45	x86	WOW
Wws03res.dll	5.2.3790.385	59,392	09-Aug-2005	23:45	x86	WOW

Windows Server 2003, Itanium-based versions with SP1

File name	File version	File size	Date	Time	Platform	SP requirement	Service branch
Msgina.dll	5.2.3790.2505	1,465,856	09-Aug-2005	23:45	IA-64	SP1	Not Applicable
Wmsgina.dll	5.2.3790.2505	1,211,904	09-Aug-2005	23:45	x86	SP1	WOW

Windows Server 2003, x64-based versions

File name	File version	File size	Date	Time	Platform	SP requirement	Service branch
Msgina.dll	5.2.3790.2505	1,193,472	09-Aug-2005	23:45	x64	SP1	Not Applicable
Wmsgina.dll	5.2.3790.2505	1,211,904	09-Aug-2005	23:45	x86	SP1	WOW

Windows Server 2003, x86-based versions

File name	File version	File size	Date	Time	Platform
Msgina.dll	5.2.3790.385	1,192,448	10-Aug-2005	03:02	x86
Ws03res.dll	5.2.3790.385	59,392	09-Aug-2005	23:59	x86

Windows Server 2003, x86-based versions with SP1

File name	File version	File size	Date	Time	Platform
Msgina.dll	5.2.3790.2505	1,211,904	10-Aug-2005	03:18	x86

WORKAROUND

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

Warning You may want to remove a user's read permissions to the local Security Accounting Manger (SAM) database or to the Active Directory directory service to prevent the user from logging on to the terminal server. However, if you follow these steps, the user will be able to log on to the terminal server.

To work around this issue, change the Windows registry on the terminal server so that the following are true:

The Winlogon process ignores errors when it reads the Terminal Serves configuration data.
The Winlogon process reads the DefaultUserConfig data.

To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server
Click Edit, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
In the New Value #1 box, type IgnoreRegUserConfigErrors, and then press ENTER.
Right-click IgnoreRegUserConfigErrors, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type 1, click Decimal, and then click OK.
Quit Registry Editor.

Note If you follow these steps, users may be able to log on to the Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services computer. However, users will not be able to read the Terminal Services properties on the mapped Active Directory account. Therefore, users will not be able to access the profile path of the Terminal Server User Profile (TerminalServicesProfilePath) property, of the Terminal Services Home Directory (TerminalServicesHomeDirectory) property, or of other Terminal Services properties that are defined on that account. To resolve the problem, install the hotfix.