Server Service Fails to Start at Startup with Event ID 2505 (177497)

SYMPTOMS

The event log shows an Event ID 2505 error (duplicate name on the network). The error may appear in the event log as either of the following messages:

   Event ID : 2505
   The server could not bind to the transport/device/netbt_<nic driver>
   because another computer on the network has the same name. The server
   could not start.

-or-

   Event ID : 2505
   The server could not bind to the transport/device/nbf_<nic driver>
   because another computer on the network has the same name. The server
   could not start.

MORE INFORMATION

WINS may or may not be present in the environment. Error messages can occur in both single and multihomed systems. Multiple error messages (7001, 7002, 7023, and so on) may be present from the failure of various services to load that depend on NetBIOS support to be bound to the NIC.

For related information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: 103470
TITLE : NetBIOS Name Conflicts When NetBEUI Used on Multiple NICs

CAUSE

This failure can occur when a user performs an upgrade with Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 over a Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51 installation that was installed from a Compaq SmartStart compact disc. This problem may also occur on a Compaq machine using the Netflex III onboard network adapter. The registry entries that pertain to providing NetBIOS support over the Microsoft-supplied network protocols (such as TCP/IP and NetBEUI) are not correctly translated into the new version of the registry. When the system is restarted, the user receives the above error(s). Also, if you have NetBEUI bound to two network adapters on a multi-homed computer on the same network (the two adapters could be bridged), you will get the Event ID 2505 as well and Server Service will not start at Startup.

RESOLUTION

Removing and reinstalling NetBEUI will correct the NetBEUI frame (NBF) errors. However, to correct the NetBT errors will require that the TCP/IP protocol be removed and reinstalled.

But, under these circumstances, any attempt to remove TCP/IP will result in the following error message:

TCP/IP gets Registry Service subkey already exists. Unable to remove
name space provider.

For additional information on how to manually remove the registry entries relating to TCP/IP, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: 151237
TITLE : Error Message When Installing TCP/IP or Adding TCP/IP Service

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.