Microsoft KB Archive/255671

= Unlocking Workstation with Invalid Password Causes Account Lockout to Increment Twice =

PSS ID Number: 255671

Article Last Modified on 5/14/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP4
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6a
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP4
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6a

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This article was previously published under Q255671



SYMPTOMS
After you apply Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 to a workstation or server, attempts to unlock the computer by using a valid user name and an invalid password can cause the account lockout count for the account being used to be incremented by two.



CAUSE
A new registry key was added in Service Pack 4 to confirm that a valid password is used against a domain controller rather than the local computer's credentials cache. When this is enabled, attempting to unlock the computer by using an invalid password causes the password to be validated twice against a domain controller, causing the account lockout count to be incremented twice.

The registry key is:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ForceUnlockLogon

For additional information about this key, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

188700 Screensaver Password Works Even if Account Is Locked Out



RESOLUTION
A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows NT 4.0 service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:   Date        Time                Size    File name     Platform --  24/02/2000  02:33              124,176  Msgina.dll    Intel



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

Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbQFE KB255671

Technology: kbWinNT400search kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400sp4 kbWinNTS400sp5 kbWinNTS400sp6 kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTW400search kbWinNTW400sp4 kbWinNTW400sp5 kbWinNTW400sp6 kbWinNTW400SP6a kbWinNTWsearch

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