Length of PDC Name May Affect Performance on a Domain

Article ID: Q142872
Creation Date: 21-JAN-1996
Revision Date: 01-FEB-1997

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

If you are working in a domain whose primary domain controller (PDC) has a name greater than 13 characters, you may experience the following:

extra network traffic
long response time with some domain operations

CAUSE

The NetGetDCName Win32 API is used to retrieve the name of the PDC on a domain. If the PDC s name is greater than 13 characters, this API caches the local PDC name incorrectly. If a second call is made, NetGetDCName tries to connect to this invalid PDC name, causing extra network traffic and a longer response time.

RESOLUTION

Use a name of 13 or fewer characters for the PDC.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0. This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

   S E R V P A C K

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