"Press Ctl-Alt-Del to logon" prompt does not appear 1

[aaronburro]

I've got a Win2K server environment(Main Domain Server, a server used for Citrix, and a server used for MAS200, all identical hardware) that is having a problem. I made a user whose sole purpose was to log onto the domain controller server and perform one task(check the tape backup system to make sure it is functioning properly). I set him to be able to log on only to the domain controller in Active Directory. here's the next stuff I did:

I set him to be able logon locally on all three of the security profiles : Domain Controller, Local, and Domain.
I also set him to be denied network access on all three of the above.
Then I logged into two other Win2K server machines and set them to deny that user local logon and network access as well, only in the local policy (since its the only one, duh).

The last step was apparently fairly stupid, as it locked all users out of the other two servers locally. I could access all the network resources(shared files and folders, and MAS200 worked fine), but noone could logon locally (Citrix users were also not able to connect at all), not even the domain and local administrators.

So, I went back and undid all of the security settings on the domain controller and the MAS server freed up. The other seems to have freed up, but not completely. When I restart the server, I don't get the ability to logon, as the little "Press Ctl-Alt-Del" window never shows up. All the services that are supposed to run on that server are running, but I just can't get that prompt.

Welp, now it seems that the citrix service is not working as it should, either. I get a connection error when I try to logon with citrix. I restarted the server, but it didn't fix the problem.

Any ideas as to what is messed up?

 

[dkediger]

Since you restarted your server - you might have been hit with the APC PowerChute Java Security bug if you have an APC UPS with PowerChute software.

If this is so, download the update from here:

http://nam-en.apc.com/cgi-bin/nam_en.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_sid=q2ApQmKh&p_lva=&p_faqid=7202

More details:

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1102005

 

[aaronburro]

Now how did you know we used that? I've got questions about that bloody thing (frequent and extended undervoltages), too! Thx, when I get a chance I'll check that out... I'll hold off on the star until then

 

[aaronburro]

thx for the tip, DK. it worked like a charm. Our official IT company is stunned too, btw. star on the way!

 

[dkediger]

Well - its been catching a lot of people yet hasn't received a lot of publicity. With today being Patch Tuesday, if there's a reboot required, it'll start getting some pub.

 

[Live2Die]

So what exactly is APC Powerchute doing to these machines. Ive seen a lot of people referencing this issue. Where can i find info on this issue as well.

--------------------
Sometimes overlooking the little things causes headaches that are unneeded

 

[dkediger]

There's info from APC in the first link above.

Essentially, the Java crypto component in the APC PowerChute software (prior to version 7) used a certificate that expired on July 27. After that date, the APC services hang when starting/stopping as they can't perform authentication. Primarily this then prevents - or at the least stalls - other services from starting upon startup.

There are many and various other symptoms and effects - nothing that appears to be destructive.

Although APC released a newer version - 7 - of PowerChute that does not have this bug, upgrading PowerChute is simply not a high priority task for most (myself included.) It was essentially a situation of "if its not broken, don't fix it," except that it was broken!