Microsoft KB Archive/937333

= WDS cannot generate more than 255 client names when you use WDS to deploy Windows Vista =

Article ID: 937333

Article Last Modified on 8/29/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Windows Vista Ultimate
 * Windows Vista Home Premium
 * Windows Vista Home Basic
 * Windows Vista Enterprise
 * Windows Vista Business
 * Windows Vista Business 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit Edition
 * Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit Edition

-



SYMPTOMS
Consider the following scenario. You try to deploy Windows Vista by using Windows Deployment Services (WDS) in an Active Domain environment. You have configured the new client naming policy for WDS. To make every client name unique, the automatic naming options apply an increasing number in every new client name. For example, you use %[0][n]# as the expression for the new client naming policy.

In this scenario, WDS cannot generate more than 255 client names. Therefore, you cannot add more than 255 machine account objects (MAO) into the domain. Users can install Windows Vista on more than 255 client computers. However, only the first 255 computers are automatically joined to the domain. Therefore, you cannot centrally manage the Windows Vista deployment for other computers.



CAUSE
This problem occurs because of a hard-coded limitation in the Wdsclient.dll file.



Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem, submit a request to Microsoft Online Customer Services to obtain the hotfix. To submit an online request to obtain the hotfix, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451

Note If additional issues occur or any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. To create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

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

Prerequisites
No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement
You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) 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 item in Control Panel.

Hotfix installation information
To apply the hotfix that is mentioned in this article, follow these steps:  The hotfix that is mentioned in this article contains a CAB package. Extract the Wdsclient.dll file from the CAB package to a temporary folder. To do this, double-click the CAB package. Install Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) or Windows OEM Preinstall Kit (Windows OPK). Disable the boot image on the WDS server to make the boot image unavailable for downloading. For example, you can run the following command at a command prompt:

wdsutil.exe /set-image /image: /imagetype:boot /architecture:  /enabled:no

Note The  placeholder represents the name of the boot image. Replace the  placeholder with x86, with x64 , or with ia64 , as appropriate for your situation. Export the boot image from the WDS server. For example, you can run the following command at the command prompt:

wdsutil.exe /export-image /image: /imagetype:boot /architecture:  /destinationimage /filepath: 

Note The  placeholder represents the name of the boot image. Replace the  placeholder with x86, with x64 , or with ia64 , as appropriate for your situation. The  placeholder represents the Windows Imaging Format (WIM) file to which you want to export the boot image. Mount the boot image that you exported in step 4. When you do this, specify an index of 2, and specify read access and write access. For example, you can run the following command at the command prompt:

imagex.exe /mountrw  2

Note The  placeholder represents the location where you exported the boot image in step 4. The  placeholder represents the location where you want to mount the boot image. For more information about this operation, see the documentation that is provided in the Windows OPK. Locate the Wdsclient.dll file that you extracted in step 1. Copy the Wdsclient.dll file to the Sources folder in the mount location that you specified in step 5, and replace the existing file. Unmount the WIM file that you specified in step 5 by committing all changes. For example, you can run the following command at the command prompt:

imagex.exe /commit /unmount 

Note The  placeholder represents the mount location that you specified in step 5.</li> Add the WIM file back to the WDS server. For example, you can run the following command at the command prompt:

wdsutil.exe /replace-image /image: /imagetype:boot /architecture:  /replacementimage /imagefile: >

Note The  placeholder represents the name of the boot image that you want to specify. Replace the  placeholder with x86, with x64 , or with  , as appropriate for your situation. The  placeholder represents the WIM file that you specified in step 5.</li> Delete all temporary folders.</li></ol>

<div class="status_section">

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section.

<div class="moreinformation_section">

MORE INFORMATION
For more information about WDS, visit the following Microsoft TechNet Web site:

http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/library/7d837d88-6d8e-420c-b68f-a5b4baeb52481033.mspx?mfr=true

For more information about Windows Preinstallation Environment in Windows Vista, visit the following Microsoft TechNet Web site:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905120.aspx

For more information about the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK), visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C7D4BC6D-15F3-4284-9123-679830D629F2&displaylang=en

For more information about the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbqfe kbpubtypekc kbexpertiseinter kbhotfixserver kbwinvistapostrtmfix KB937333

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.