Log In problems

Hello, i am a computer admin at a high school, we have all xp pro machines, and server 2003. This problem doesnt happen on any desktops, just our teacher laptops. When the teacher logs in they are supposed to have their regular stuff, for example, there icons, network drives etc. Well they log in and all that stuff is back and default, and its like they are logged in locally, no network drives and they are missing thier shortcuts. I can tell a difference because when you press start, the top of that usually displays their name for example Moida Marshall. Now it displays their computers name followed by a $, like this: MAS216$. We relog a couple of time and it fixes the problem but it keeps reoccuring and it seems to be getting worse and worse but again only on the laptops. If you can help please send me an email to Removed by Moderator - all answers are posted on the BBS.


Thanks

Martin Harig

 

You need to make a setting in Group Policy (or using Gpedit.msc on the local machine) to disable fast logon optomization.

The issue is that users are logging on with cached credentials, and not receiving their full user profiles as a result.

I wrote about this recently in the context of speeding up Domain logons under XP:

 

Another question

Ok thanks for you help we really appreciate it. We did that and we are going to give it a test drive to see if it works.
My next questions is that we have teachers that all have laptops, and they take them home. Is that username and password still going to work? Do we have to set them up with local usernames and passwords? or what do you suggest?


Thanks again
Marty

 

Users on the laptops should logon exactly as if they were connected to the school network.

Exactly the same.

They have a key ring of cached credentials that will be used in this instance. You might consider using the Offline Files feature for these users so that their User Profile data can be carried with them.

 

Still having the problem

Im still having the same problem with the teachers laptops, any other suggestions?

 

Log in Problems continued please help

This is a continuation of a previous post "log in problems ", and the things we that were mentions have not worked. Hello, i am a computer admin at a high school, we have all xp pro machines, and server 2003. This problem doesnt happen on any desktops, just our teacher laptops. When the teacher logs in they are supposed to have their regular stuff, for example, there icons, network drives etc. Well they log in and all that stuff is back and default, and its like they are logged in locally, no network drives and they are missing thier shortcuts. I can tell a difference because when you press start, the top of that usually displays their name for example Moida Marshall. Now it displays their computers name followed by a $, like this: MAS216$. We relog a couple of time and it fixes the problem but it keeps reoccuring and it seems to be getting worse and worse but again only on the laptops. If you can help please send me an email to Removed by Moderator - all answers are posted on the BBS. Again, this never happens on regular desktops, it always happens on the regular teacher laptops. If anyone knows how to fix this problems please help, it is really annoying to the teachers.


Thanks

Martin Harig

 

How do your laptops connect to the network? Do they use wireless connections?

Do you have the teachers in a different user group to the other users?

How are you assigning the network drives? Are you using a log on script? If so, is the log on script the same one everyone else uses?

What happens if you log on to the laptops as a domain admin?

 

they connect through DHCP, they get assisgned a network address from the server, just like the desktops do but we dont have any problems with them. The network drives are scripted to each user. It doesnt matter if a admin logs in or a regular user, but again its only on the one certain brand of laptop, and it happens randomly. Its almost like the laptop isnt finding the network right off the bat so it logs into itself. Its a really wierd problem ive never seen anything like this before. I ruled out virus for the simple fact that its only on the laptops, also for the same reason i ruled out any corupt files. so any suggestions would be great.

 

I'm sorry, but your responses do not help me.

Fine. Do you put a network cable into the laptop to connect it to the network?

I do not understand what this means. If you want to change the drive mappings, where do you go to make the change.

Does this mean there are laptops of another brand that do not have the problem?

 

You may have a Kerberos token issue. Authentication to the Domain server assumes a perfect packet for the issuance of a Kerberos token to the remote user.

Kerberos uses by default UDP protocol and Windows limits the maximum UDP datagram size to 2000 bytes by default. In some situations the limitation on the UDP packet size makes the authentication process fail (especially if the group membership is large).

Large group memberships can create a problem for the Kerberos in that it takes 2 frames to pass the token. Old router firmware strips the second frame, thus removing some of the groups that should be part of the token. Since UDP is a connectionless protocol, there is no acknowledgement and no resend if a packet fails at the destination (hence shares do not reconnect, yet the workstation has valid credentials and does not understand why you are giving it valid credientials again.)

Similarly, other hardware problems and unique conditions created by WLAN, remotely connected, failing or misconfigured hardware can create havoc with UDP.

You can make Windows always use TCP instead of UDP inserting a new registry key (or changing it if it already exists).

The key is

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\Kerberos\Parameters

And you must create and insert the value MaxPacketSize, type DWORD, set to 0x1. This, as I said, makes Windows use TCP.

The issue is discussed in this MS KB: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=244474

 

This should be a single thread and not two.

This is discourteous. Your original thread was enough for members to pay attention to your issue.

 

I've merged the two threads. mharig, please don't duplicate your threads.

 

Thanks Reggie.

Bill

 

thanks

sorry fellas, didnt mean to post to, thought the original was done with. Again i apologize, and i apreciate all of your help.

 

Heres how it looks.

Ok, had to make a Key under Kerberos, named it Parameters. Then in that key i created a new DWord with the value of one, called it MaxPacketSize. Is this correct? Also a couple of teachers recently viewed items in the start menu have disapeared any ideas? you guys are a lifesaver so far so i thought i would ask. Ill also let you know if it works, Again i apreciate all of your help in this matter.
Thanks
Marty

 

ok heres the error message that pops up when the problem happens

Windows cannot find /idlist,:1192:568,’. Make sure you typed the name correctly and then try again. To search for a file, click start button, and then click Search.

Thanks
Marty

 

Is this a new error message, that has started appearing since you made the changes Bill has suggested, or has it been present all along!

 

New to me, but apparently the teachers were just exiting out of it before i could look at it, so the answer is yes it has been all along. sorry.

 

Ah! an error message that we can get our teeth into.

There are a few hits on Google if you search for "Windows cannot find /idlist "

That error message might help Bill on his diagnosis.

I notice a few of the postings refer to problems with wireless card drivers. It would help our diagnosis if you could tell us if the teacher's laptops use wireless cards to connect to the network.