Microsoft KB Archive/142273

= Backing up in-use WINS Database Files Can Cause Corruption =

Article ID: 142273

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51

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This article was previously published under Q142273



SYMPTOMS
The Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) service stops replicating with its partners and the following error is logged in the system log:

4204 - "An error was encountered in the database. You might need to restore the database from a backup."



CAUSE
Backing up in-use WINS database files on a Windows NT 3.5 or 3.51 system that is running the WINS Server service can cause the database files to corrupt.



RESOLUTION
There are two options to resolve this problem:

 If customers wish to protect their WINS databases, use WINSADMN.EXE at the WINS server to enable backups. The WINS database is backed up (by the service) in a consistent state to a subdirectory of the user's choice. A user could then backup the database files from this directory.

-or-  Windows NT Backup (NTBACKUP.EXE) will behave this way if Backup Files In Use is enabled. To disable it in NTBACKUP go into the registry under the HKEY_CURRENT_USER subtree under the following subkey:

Make sure that the following value name is set to the following value:

     Value Name:     Backup files inuse Value (REG_SZ): 0 



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 3.50 and 3.51. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords: KB142273

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