Microsoft KB Archive/173565

= SMS: Error: "Cannot Establish a Security Context with the Client" =

Article ID: 173565

Article Last Modified on 6/14/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.2 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q173565



SYMPTOMS
When a person running the Systems Management Server Administrator program attempts to establish a Remote Control session with a client computer running Windows NT, the message "Cannot establish a security context with the client" is returned. If the Remote Control button is clicked again, another window containing the following message appears:

The currently logged in user does not have rights to access the client machine. Please provide the username, domain, and password of an account that is allowed to access the client.

Regardless of what user name, domain, and password is supplied, the "Cannot establish security context" message is always returned.



CAUSE
This particular problem has two possible causes. One possible cause is that there is no valid entry in the Permitted Viewers registry key on the Systems Management Server client that is to be controlled remotely.

The other possible cause is that this is an Administrator program problem where the Workstation service is not functioning correctly on the system running the Systems Management Server Administrator program. If this is the case, the system running the Administrator program will be unable to remotely control any other computer running Windows NT.

To determine which of these two possibilities may be causing your problem, try to use Remote Control on the target client from another computer running the Systems Management Server Administrator program. If the workstation can be successfully controlled remotely from another system running the Systems Management Server Administrator program, then this is probably not a problem with the client computer.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, follow the steps below, depending on whether the cause of the problem is with the client computer or the computer running the Systems Management Server Administrator program:

Client Problem
  If the client computer running Windows NT cannot be remotely controlled from any system running the Systems Management Server Administrator program, examine the following registry key on the Windows NT client that you want to use Remote Control on:      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Client Services\Remote Control\Parameters  Ensure that the Permitted Viewers value (REG_MULTI_SZ) contains a valid Windows NT user account or group (such as Administrators).

You can define the site-wide setting for the permitted viewers in the Systems Management Server Administrator program. To do this, click Clients on the Site Properties menu, and then click Options.

Administrator Problem

 * 1) If the system running the Systems Management Server Administrator program is unable to use Remote Control on any client computer running Windows NT (that can be controlled remotely from other stations running the Systems Management Server Administrator program), first try applying (or reapplying) the latest service pack for Windows NT. This has proven to correct some of these problems. If the problem remains, remove and reinstall the Workstation service on the system running the Systems Management Server Administrator program. You can do this by using the Network tool in Control Panel. If the system is a domain controller, the workstation service cannot be removed.

WARNING: Removing this service will not allow the workstation to connect to a remote location to reinstall the service. Make certain the system has a CD-ROM drive and the Windows NT CD-ROM, or has copied the Windows NT I386 (or other platform) folder to its local hard disk before removing this service.
 * 1) Reapply any Windows NT service packs that were previously applied to the system.
 * 2) Restart the system.

The system should now be able to use Remote Control on any remote client computers running Windows NT.

Additional query words: prodsms utility tool admin

Keywords: kbnetwork kbprb kbremoteprog kbtshoot KB173565

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