WDS cannot generate more than 255 client names when you use WDS to deploy Windows Vista

Consider the following scenario. You try to deploy Windows Vista by using Windows Deployment Services (WDS) in an Active Domain environment. You have configured the new client naming policy for WDS. To make every client name unique, the automatic naming options apply an increasing number in every new client name. For example, you use %[0][n]# as the expression for the new client naming policy.

In this scenario, WDS cannot generate more than 255 client names. Therefore, you cannot add more than 255 machine account objects (MAO) into the domain. Users can install Windows Vista on more than 255 client computers. However, only the first 255 computers are automatically joined to the domain. Therefore, you cannot centrally manage the Windows Vista deployment for other computers.

This problem occurs because of a hard-coded limitation in the Wdsclient.dll file.

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Vista. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Vista, x86-based versions

Windows Vista, 64-bit versions

Hotfix installation information

To apply the hotfix that is mentioned in this article, follow these steps:

1. The hotfix that is mentioned in this article contains a CAB package. Extract the Wdsclient.dll file from the CAB package to a temporary folder. To do this, double-click the CAB package.
2. Install Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) or Windows OEM Preinstall Kit (Windows OPK).
3. Disable the boot image on the WDS server to make the boot image unavailable for downloading. For example, you can run the following command at a command prompt:
   wdsutil.exe /set-image /image:<ImageName> /imagetype:boot /architecture:<Platform> /enabled:no
   Note The <ImageName> placeholder represents the name of the boot image. Replace the <Platform> placeholder with x86, with x64, or with ia64, as appropriate for your situation.
4. Export the boot image from the WDS server. For example, you can run the following command at the command prompt:
   wdsutil.exe /export-image /image:<ImageName> /imagetype:boot /architecture:<Platform> /destinationimage /filepath:<PathToBootWIM>
   Note The <ImageName> placeholder represents the name of the boot image. Replace the <Platform> placeholder with x86, with x64, or with ia64, as appropriate for your situation. The <PathToBootWIM> placeholder represents the Windows Imaging Format (WIM) file to which you want to export the boot image.
5. Mount the boot image that you exported in step 4. When you do this, specify an index of 2, and specify read access and write access. For example, you can run the following command at the command prompt:
   imagex.exe /mountrw <PathToBootWIM> 2 <MountLocation>
   Note The <PathToBootWIM> placeholder represents the location where you exported the boot image in step 4. The <MountLocation> placeholder represents the location where you want to mount the boot image. For more information about this operation, see the documentation that is provided in the Windows OPK.
6. Locate the Wdsclient.dll file that you extracted in step 1. Copy the Wdsclient.dll file to the Sources folder in the mount location that you specified in step 5, and replace the existing file.
7. Unmount the WIM file that you specified in step 5 by committing all changes. For example, you can run the following command at the command prompt:
   imagex.exe /commit /unmount <MountLocation>
   Note The <MountLocation> placeholder represents the mount location that you specified in step 5.
8. Add the WIM file back to the WDS server. For example, you can run the following command at the command prompt:
   wdsutil.exe /replace-image /image:<ImageName> /imagetype:boot /architecture:<Platform> /replacementimage /imagefile:<PathToBootWIM>
   Note The <ImageName> placeholder represents the name of the boot image that you want to specify. Replace the <Platform> placeholder with x86, with x64, or with ia64, as appropriate for your situation. The <PathToBootWIM> placeholder represents the WIM file that you specified in step 5.
9. Delete all temporary folders.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Windows Vista Service Pack 1.

For more information about WDS, visit the following Microsoft TechNet Web site:For more information about Windows Preinstallation Environment in Windows Vista, visit the following Microsoft TechNet Web site:For more information about the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK), visit the following Microsoft Web site: For more information about the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: