A Windows NT 4.0 Cluster Disk May Generate Error 3 During a Move Group or Failover Process (305638)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0 SP6
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0 SP6a
This article was previously published under Q305638

SYMPTOMS

During a Move Group or Failover process in a Windows NT 4.0-based cluster, the following error message may be recorded in the Cluster log:
Physical Disk "Driveletter:" DiskspCheckPath: FindFirstFile for "DRIVELETTER:" failed, error 3.
This error message typically occurs when the second cluster of a two-node cluster is brought online if the Failback for a cluster group(s) option is set to fail back to that node.

Additionally, when you perform a Move Group process, the following error message may be recorded in the Cluster log:
Physical Disk "Driveletter:" SCSI, error reserving disk, error 21.

CAUSE

The first error message is the result of a regression fix from Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a (SP6a).

Under certain conditions, the cluster disk driver (Clusdisk.sys) tries to attach to devices but cannot read the partition table (assuming that they are cluster disks that are reserved by the other node).

RESOLUTION

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: 
   Date       Time   Version    Size       File name   
   ----------------------------------------------------
   12-Nov-01  21:17  1.0.224.6   29,360    Clusdisk.sys
   12-Nov-01  21:17  1.0.224.6  169,744    Clusres.dll
   12-Nov-01  21:17  1.0.224.6   29,968    Resutils.dll
NOTE: Because of file dependencies, this hotfix requires Windows NT 4.0 SP6a

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

A customer must download each of the post SP6a fixes for Cluster, from the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

247065 Error Message: System Process Lost Delayed-Write Data

251007 Some Cluster Disks Are Not Available After Installing SP6

256326 Cluster Server Cannot Use Disk Beyond Device Number 25

273614 Cannot Change Cluster Share Resource Permissions

248663 Booting Node May Prevent Running Node from Accessing Quorum Disk

243469 Cluster SMB Share Resource Causes Momentary Disconnection

272569 System Process Loses Delayed-Write Data with Windows Clustering

216240 Cluster Log Is Overwritten When Cluster Server Starts

244220 Computer Stops Responding When Creating IIS Server Instance on MSCS 1.0 with SP5 Installed

263216 Dr. Watson Error Appears in Cluster Administrator When You View Internet Information Server Property Pages

241631 Cluster Node with Heavy Disk Stress Does Not Shut Down Properly

247763 Cluster Administrator May Stop Responding After Creating a New IIS Server Instance

262705 Cluster Administrator Incorrectly Rejects Trusted Domain SIDs as Local SIDs

266782 Access Violation Error Message in Cluster.exe When You Move Groups

307465 A Windows NT 4.0-Based Cluster May Delete Symbolic Link for Reserved Disks

NOTE: If this hotfix is installed, you may not be able to install Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC). When you try to install MDAC, you may receive the following error message:
olemainthreadwndname:dasetup.exe unable to locate ... dynamic link library mtsevents.dll
This error message may occur if Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) is not installed. To work around this error message, use either of the following methods:
  • Rename the Mtxex.dll file to Mtxex.bak before you install MDAC, and then name the file back to Mtxex.dll after you install MDAC.
  • Install MTS before you install MDAC.
Note that the Dtcsetup.exe program is included only in case you must reinstall Microsoft Transaction Coordinator. Use the Dtcsetup.exe program that is included with this hotfix, and follow the instructions that are listed in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

191138 How to Install the Windows NT Option Pack on Microsoft Cluster Server

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/26/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbbug kbfix kbQFE KB305638
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