TN3270 Server Service Fails to Start Automatically (139356)

SYMPTOMS

When configuring the TN3270 Server service for automatic startup (within the Services application in Control Panel), the TN3270 service intermittently fails to start when Windows NT rebooted.

CAUSE

The TN3270 Server service requires that the SnaBase service has already been started. However, the TN3270 Setup program does not indicate that SnaBase is a dependent service within the TN3270 service entry in the Windows NT registry.

While the SnaBase service is dynamically started if an application attempts to use the SNA API client interfaces (such as, when TN3270 is started), dynamic startup may not succeed in all cases when Windows NT is rebooted.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, run Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE).

WARNING: Using the Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system- wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of the Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

From the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, go to the following key:

   /SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/TN3270

Add the following entry to the TN3270 Server registry key:

   DependOnService: REG_MULTI_SZ:  Tcpip
                                   SnaBase

NOTE: This problem is fixed in an update to the TN3270 Server SETUP.INF file which automatically adds the above entry.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in SNA Server for Windows NT. This problem was corrected in the latest SNA Server for Windows NT, 2.11 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

S E R V P A C K