Application Access Violation Error In Nwscript.exe During Logon (164281)

SYMPTOMS

During the normal Windows NT logon process, when a NetWare login script is run by Client Service for NetWare (CSNW) or Gateway Service for NetWare (GSNW), the following pop-up error message appears:

An application error has occurred and an application error log is being generated. NWSCRIPT.exe Exception: access violation (0xc0000005), Address: 0x01cae84b

This problem occurs when the NetWare server in use is Novell NetWare version 4.x. It does not matter whether or not the CSNW or GSNW computer is attaching to the NetWare server as a bindery or NDS user.

CAUSE

Windows NT's Nwscript.exe logon script processor cannot interpret the NetWare login script properly. The most common cause of the problem is the use of conditional statements using the ELSE statement, when combined with external DOS commands. External DOS commands may be called from NetWare login scripts by using the #. For example, the following login script will cause the problem:

IF MEMBER "MYGROUP" THEN
   #CAPTURE Q=QUEUENAME
ELSE
   #CAPTURE Q=OTHERQUEUE
ENDIF

NOTE: Capitalization and layout as above is not required, and changes to capitalization and layout from above will not affect the problem.

WORKAROUND

Avoid the use of ELSE statements with external DOS commands in NetWare login scripts as shown above. Check for any possible syntax problems in the NetWare login scripts (both in the System Login script and users' personal logon scripts). If the problem is difficult to track down, try eliminating a section of the login script at a time to find the problem.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.