Knowledge Base

Err Msg: Cannot Create This File When This File Already Exists

Article ID: 127911

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q127911

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to establish trusts among a number of domains using User Manager for Domains, the following error message appears:

Cannot create this file when this file already exists

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you attempt establish a trust with a domain that has the same domain security identification (SID) information as another domain that is already trusted, or has the same local Domain SID. This problem occurs when you:

Rename a domain and the trust to the previous name is still in a trust relationship.
Split a single domain into two domains by simply renaming the domain on some backup domain controller (BDC) and promoting it to a primary domain controller (PDC). In this case both domains have the same Domain SID.
Create two domains through an automated process. For example, you install Windows NT once on a PDC and then performing a disk-to-disk copy to another identical computer, and then change the domain name.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem:

If a domain is renamed and previous trust relationships still exist, break all trusts established by the previous domain, and re-create the trusts for the new domain.

-or-
Reinstall all domain controllers in one of the domains (consider using a smaller domain). After you re-install the domain controllers, change the security on all objects which give permissions to objects in that domain.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.5. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

A domain SID is generated during installation when you decide if you want the newly installed computer to be the PDC of a new domain. If there is no domain reachable on the network with that domain name, a new SID is generated. If you decide you want the computer to be a BDC, it browses the network for a PDC of a domain with that name and use that same domain SID. Once a SID is generated for a domain it does not change. This means that if you change a domain's name, it retains the same domain SID.

Additional query words: prodnt usrmgr

Keywords: KB127911