Novell Setpass and Whoami Failures with CSNW and GSNW (139587)

SYMPTOMS

If you run Microsoft Client Services for NetWare (CSNW) or Gateway Services for NetWare (GSNW) on a Windows NT Server, version 3.5 or 3.51, and you run the Novell "Setpass" command, the following error message can appear:

You are not connected to <servername>

where <servername> represents the name of the server on which you are trying to set the password. Or, if the Setpass command is successful the following message appears:

The password for <servername> has been changed <ServerList>

Synchronize passwords on these file servers with <servername>/<username>? <Y/N>

where <ServerList> represents the list of Novell servers to which you are attached, and <username> is your logged on account name. But in this case one or more of the attached Novell servers are missing from the list.

Similarly, if you run the Novell Whoami command, one or more of the connected Novell servers will be missing from the list. At the same time you can change to the connected drive letter of the "missing" server and view the directory listing using the Dir command.

CAUSE

These problems are caused by having identical letter sequences in two or more of the server names, and by having connected to these servers in descending order of name length. For example, the following server names and drive letters assigned in the order will produce the problem:

   Assigned Drive Letter         Server Name

      H:                           DPOPS2
      I:                           DPOPS
      J:                           DP

WORKAROUND

To resolve this problem, upgrade to Windows NT Workstation and Server version 4.0.

To work around this problem for Windows NT 3.51, ensure that all Novell servers connected to your computer have names that are spelled with unique letter sequences so that no beginning sequence of letters compares the same between any two of the names.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.5 and 3.51. A supported fix is now available, but is not fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Contact Microsoft Product Support Services for more information on the availability of this fix. This problem was corrected in Windows NT Workstation or Server version 4.0.