Microsoft KB Archive/230059

= Windows 98/Me Client Cannot Change Password =

Article ID: 230059

Article Last Modified on 12/20/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4
 * Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition

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This article was previously published under Q230059



SYMPTOMS
When you try to change your password on a Microsoft Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (Me) client at logon, you may receive the following error message:

Unable to change the password for Microsoft Networking because of the following error: This device does not exist on the network.

When you attempt to change your Microsoft Networking password using the Passwords tool in Control Panel, you may receive the following error message:

Access has been denied

When you attempt to change passwords using the Chgpass.exe or Setpass.exe tool, you may receive the following error message:

Could not change password. Unexpected error (1b5a).



CAUSE
This behavior is caused by a setting that is enabled in the Securdc4.inf file. When this template is enforced on a computer, it enables the "Digitally sign server-side communication when possible" setting. This enables the following setting in the registry on the server:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanManServer\Parameters\EnableSecuritySignature

This involves the way the client and server negotiate over SMB, as described in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

161372 How to Enable SMB Signing in Windows NT



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, perform the following steps:  Disable the "Digitally sign server-side communication when possible" setting in the Securdc4.inf file. Save the Securdc4.inf file as another .inf file (for example, as Securup4.inf). Load the new settings into the registry by using the following command:

"c:\winnt\system32\secedit.exe /configure /cfg c:\winnt\security\templates\securup4.inf /db c:\winnt\security\database\secedit.sdb /log c:\temp\secedit.log"

NOTE: This is a single command. It has been wrapped for readability purposes. Restart the primary domain controller. Windows 98 clients should then be able to change the domain passwords.



MORE INFORMATION
The Securdc4.inf file does not exist on a native install of Microsoft Windows NT 4 Server.

For additional information about enabling SMB on Windows 98, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

230545 How to Enable SMB Signing in Windows 98

Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb KB230059

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