DOCUMENT:Q168076 09-AUG-2001 [winnt] TITLE :WINS Fails to Converge PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:winnt:3.51,4.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbnetwork kbWinNT400sp4fix ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== All domain controllers register their domain name with <1c> as the sixteenth character of the NetBIOS name. For each domain, a domain name<1C> record will exist on a Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) server that contains a list of IP addresses of all the domain controllers in that domain. When several domain controllers register the <1C> name with different WINS servers, a replication problem prevents the replication partners from having an entire list of IP addresses for this record. This may result in client logon problems or uneven load on the domain controllers. NOTE: This problem happens only when different domain controllers, belonging to the same domain, register with different WINS servers, and the replication model is NOT a hub and spoke model. CAUSE ===== By design, WINS cannot increment the version ID of a replica record (record owned by another WINS server). Only the owner of the record is allowed to increment the version ID of the record. A stalemate situation can occur where an updated replica <1C> record may not be replicated because of the above design rules. MORE INFORMATION ================ Consider the following scenario: WINS1 <--> WINS2 <--> WINS3 <--> WINS4 Primary Domain Controller (PDC) 1 - x.x.x.221 Backup Domain Controller (BDC) 1 - x.x.y.60 1. PDC registers with WINS1; WINS1 now has: domain<1c> version id 505, contains ip x.x.x.221, owner is wins1. 2. BDC registers with WINS4 WINS4 now has: domain<1c> version id 254 contains ip x.x.y.60 owner is WINS4 3. WINS1 <--replicates with--->WINS2 both WINS1 and WINS2 now have: domain<1c> version id 505 contains ip x.x.x.221 owner is WINS1 4. WINS2 <--replicates with --> WINS3 WINS1 WINS2 and WINS3 now have: domain<1c> version id 505 contains ip x.x.x.221 owner is WINS1 5. WINS3 <-replicates-> WINS4 WINS4 now has : domain<1c> newer version id 255 (or more) contains: ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60; owner WINS4 WINS3 now has: domain<1c> SAME version id 505 contains: ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60; owner WINS1 NOTE: Version number is not incremented for this record because this is a replica record and is owned by WINS1. 6. WINS2<--replicates with-->WINS3 domain<1c> record on WINS2 is not updated containing only ip x.x.x.221 RESOLUTION ========== The resolution is to give ownership to the WINS Server that merges the <1c> record. In other words, a replication partner can take ownership for a 1C record, if it receives a replica 1C record from a second replication partner. In the above scenario the behavior will be: (Steps 1-4 are the same) 5. WINS3 <-replicates-> WINS4 WINS4 now has : domain<1c> version id 255 (wins4's highest id number) contains: ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60; owner WINS4 WINS3 now has: domain<1c> version id 2000(wins3's highest number) contains: ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60; ****owner WINS3 <<<<<WINS3 WINS2 now has: domain<1c> version id 442< contains ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60; ***owner WINS2 <<<<<WIN2 WINS1 now has: domain<1c> version id 506 contains ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60; owner WINS1 To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack STATUS ====== Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4. Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information. Additional query words: prodnt fails 1bh groupname ====================================================================== Keywords : kbnetwork kbWinNT400sp4fix Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch kbWinNTS351search Version : winnt:3.51,4.0 Issue type : kbbug Solution Type : kbfix ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.