Microsoft KB Archive/273633

= USERNAME Environment Variable May Differ from Actual User Name =

Article ID: 273633

Article Last Modified on 2/21/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition

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This article was previously published under Q273633



SYMPTOMS
When you log on to a Windows 2000-based domain, it is possible to use a logon name that is similar to the one that is stored in Active Directory. This may cause problems because the USERNAME environment variable is set to the user name that you typed in the logon dialog box, not to the user name that is stored in Active Directory. If any logon scripts relying on this variable, they may run up with unpredictable results.



RESOLUTION
A possible workaround to avoid this problem is to log on by using the user principal name (UPN) format. Instead of typing the user name, password, and domain on separate lines, type the UPN logon string in the User Name box. The UPN format is:

@ .com

Or, you can write a small program or batch file that resets the USERNAME environment variable to the value you need (you can get the actual user name with the Whoami utility) and add it in the Startup group.



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

Keywords: kbbug kbenv kbpending KB273633

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