Domain users receive unwanted Messenger service messages in Windows NT 4.0 (324599)

Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

Users of a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 domain may receive unwanted Messenger service messages on their respective desktops. They may receive these messages from other domain users who use the net send command to send messages to all domain users. In this scenario, you may want to restrict access to the Messenger service. By doing this, you can prevent end users from sending broadcast messages to other domain users.

RESOLUTION

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

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

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

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. After you install this hotfix, only the following domain group accounts can send messages through the Messenger service:

Domain administrators
Account operators
System operators
Print operators

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
---------------------------------------------------------
09-Jul-2002  17:05  4.0.1381.7177      60,688  Wkssvc.dll

Note Because of file dependencies, this hotfix requires Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a.

MORE INFORMATION

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.Before you can restrict access to the Messenger service, you must create a new registry value. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
In Registry Editor, locate the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters
Right-click Parameters, click New, and then click DWORD Value.
Type limitmessagesend for the DWORD value name.
Double-click limitmessagesend. In the Edit DWORD Value dialog box, enter a non-zero decimal value in the Value Data box.

Note If you set the Value Data value to 0 or if you delete the value, the Messenger service reverts to the default behavior where all users can access the service.