Services Do Not Start, Event ID 7023 Generates Message, 'Duplicate Name Exists on the Network' (271963)

SYMPTOMS

When you start your computer, some services (including but not limited to the Workstation, Server, WWW, and FTP services) may not start, and Event Viewer may record the following error message:

Event ID: 7023 A Duplicate Name Exists on the Network.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur for the following reasons:

A multihomed computer has the WINS Client [TCP/IP] protocol or the NetBEUI protocol enabled on both network adapters.
Multiple Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS) servers are present in the network environment, but replication between them is not configured.
WINS clients are registering with more than one WINS server ("split registration").

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, follow these steps:

Disable the NetBEUI protocol and the WINS Client [TCP/IP] protocol on the external network adapter on the multihomed server.
Configure the WINS servers to replicate between themselves.
Configure the WINS servers to point to themselves on the WINS Address tab in Microsoft TCP/IP Properties.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about disabling the NetBEUI protocol and the WINS Client [TCP/IP] protocol on one of your network adapters, please refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

197157 Workstation Service Does Not Start

For more information about configuring the WINS Address tab, please refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

150737 Setting Primary and Secondary WINS Server Options

For more information about configuring WINS replication, please refer to the following white paper, which is available on the Microsoft anonymous FTP server at the following location:

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-docs/papers/Winswp.doc

File Name: Winswp.doc
Title : "Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS)"