Cannot Log On to Windows 2000 After You Upgrade from Windows NT 3.51

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This article was previously published under Q243997

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SYMPTOMS

You cannot log on a computer running Windows 2000 after you upgrade it from Windows NT 3.51. You receive the following error message:

The System cannot log you on due to the following error:

The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted please try again or consult your system administrator.

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CAUSE

This issue can occur if you did not have any networking components installed on the computer before you upgraded from Windows NT 3.51.

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RESOLUTION

To work around this issue, perform a clean install of Windows 2000.

To prevent this issue, install a modem or network adapter before you install Windows 2000.

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There is a registry setting in the Security Hive that is not created in Windows 3.51 until you install a network component. This registry entry is required in Windows 2000 but is optional in Windows 3.51. If you install and then remove a network component in Windows 3.51, the registry entry is created and you can install Windows 2000 correctly.

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