Client gets Server Unknown error after forced reboot

[dingall]

Can't find any help with this anywhere - somebody PLEASE HELP ME!!!

When a PC crashes/freezes and forces the user to turn it off without logging out, they then get a Server Unknown (Login-4.21.15-890) error when they restart the PC and try to login again. At the same time as this error, what actually happens is they attach to another server in the tree and login to that instead, leading to drive map errors because it's trying to find paths on the wrong server.

We are running Netware 5.1 in a TCP/IP environment.

 

[DaveBrown]

Hi
If you are running client32 for win9x there is a file in C:\novell\\client32 caled nwhost.
In there you can specify the default server name and its ip address

Hope this helps

Dave

 

[dingall]

Thanks - we've been down this route already. It affects all clients be they win9x, 2000 or XP. Specifying default server by name and/or IP address doesn't seem to make any difference

 

[DaveBrown]

Hi
Have you tried specifying default server in the "user object environment" details using NWADMIN32.exe?

Dave

 

[dingall]

Yes - have also tried specifying the same in the client itself. I also read a suggestion on Novell's website that you don't enter a preferred tree, just server and that would stop the client picking the first server it finds on the tree. That didn't work either!!

The only clue is that this only happens when a PC crashes and has to be forcefully shut-down. It appears that the primary server refuses to allow allow another logon from that PC when it thinks it already has one. If after shutting down the PC properly you leave it a couple of minutes and boot-up and logon again it's all OK (presumably after the watchdog on the server has cleared the old connection).

This never happened before the server was upgraded from 5.0 to 5.1 but I can't find anything that would have changed to cause the server unknown problem.

 

[DaveBrown]

Hello again
Have you got any login restrictions set for users? It may be that if the accounts are restriced to one connection when the pc is crashed, the server connection remains.
You could increase concurrent connections - or make it unlimited if you've got a tree licence.

I've run out of ideas now

Dave

 

[dingall]

Unfortunately, that doesn't work either. I get the server unknown problem but have unlimited connections.

Thanks for your help anyway!

 

[TheLad]

Are you running SP3 on the server?

Also have you done the following:

SET CLIENT FILE CACHING ENABLED = OFF -----------------------------------------------------
"It's true, its damn true!"
-----------------------------------------------------

 

[salserocito]

Try turning off "Reply to get Nearest Server" on all Servers but the Server that holds the Master Replica for the Partition.

Since I'm not sure what your NDS Tree looks like... but any Server that holds a copy of the Partition Replica, or any Parent of that Replica, will handle authentication of your Users... where ever they are located. It really depends on which Server answers the fastest.

Good Luck.