Microsoft KB Archive/239566

= HTTP membership authentication error in Windows Media Administrator =

Article ID: 239566

Article Last Modified on 7/6/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.0

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This article was previously published under Q239566



SYMPTOMS
When enabling the HTTP-BASIC Authentication and Membership Service in the Windows Media Administrator and restarting, you may get the following error when returning to the Windows Media Administrator:

The authentication package 'HTTP-BASIC Authentication and Membership Service Account Database' has failed to load with the Windows Media Unicast Service. All client connections to the Unicast service will be refused at this time. Try restarting the service or disabling the authentication package.

If you go into the Server Properties and look at the Publishing Point Security, the HTTP-BASIC Authentication and Membership Service Account will show a "Load failure".



CAUSE
Membership Service authentication requires that the LDAP service be running on the same computer as the Windows Media Server and that the LDAP service starts before the Windows Media Unicast Service. If the LDAP service is not running when the Unicast service starts, the Unicast service has no way of authenticating connections.



WORKAROUND
To temporarily work around the problem, stop and restart the Windows Media Unicast Service. Since the LDAP service should be started, the Unicast service should be able to authenticate. Once you restart the server, you will have to manually stop and restart the Unicast service.

To permanently work around the problem, you can make the Unicast service dependent on the LDAP service by modifying the services that the Unicast depends on. That way the Unicast service will wait until the LDAP service has started and then start.

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.

 Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).  Locate the DependOnService value under the following key in the registry:   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\nsunicast NOTE: The earlier registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.  On the Edit menu, click Multi String. A list of services are displayed. Add the following to the bottom of the list: ldapsvc, and then click OK. Quit the Registry Editor.



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

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MORE INFORMATION
Note Basic Authentication sends user names and passwords over the network in clear text. This presents a significant security risk. Basic Authentication should only be used together with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL can encrypt the information that is being sent over the network.

Additional query words: netshow wms

Keywords: kbbug kbpending KB239566

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