Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2000 Advanced Server Computer That Is Running Terminal Services Stops Responding Immediately After You Start the Computer (323148)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
This article was previously published under Q323148

SYMPTOMS

Immediately after you start a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 2000 Server or Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server that also is running Terminal Services in Remote Administrator mode or in Application Server mode, the computer may stop responding.

When you restart the server, you may also receive the following error message:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEMced
Note The letters "ced" at the end of the error message are not really part of the error message. The previous screen included these letters and was not completely erased when the error message appeared.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if the Print Spooler service is stopped or turned off on the computer that is running Terminal Services. The Terminal Services service distributes Terminal Services ports for redirected Windows printer mappings, redirected LPT ports, and redirected COM ports from Terminal Services client computers. When the Print Spooler service is stopped or disabled, and a user logs on or logs off a Remote Desktop Protocol session, the inactive Terminal Services ports are collected in the registry. When the following registry key exceeds 12 megabytes (MB), the computer does not start:

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
  1. Start the Print Spooler service on the server that is running Terminal Services. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Services.
    2. Right-click the Print Spooler service, and then click Start.
  2. Use the Terminal Services Configuration utility to change the default Terminal Services client settings on the computer. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Terminal Services Configuration.
    2. Double-click RDP-Tcp.
    3. Click the Client Settings tab, and then click to clear the Use connection settings from user settings check box.
    4. Click to clear the Connect client printers at logon check box, and then click to clear the Default to main client printer check box.
    5. Click to select the Windows printer mapping check box, click to select the LPT port mapping check box, and then click to select the COM port mapping check box.
    6. Click OK.
  3. Replace the registry key that is described in the "Cause" section with another file that is smaller than 12 MB.

    Note If the computer does not start successfully, you can use Recovery Console or a parallel installation to replace the registry key with another file that is smaller than 12 MB.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/5/2005
Keywords:kbprb KB323148 kbAudITPRO
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.