Error message when you try to join a Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2-based computer to a Windows NT 4.0 domain: "Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password"

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SYMPTOMS

When you try to join a Windows Vista-based computer, a Windows 7-based computer, or a Windows Server 2008 R2-based computer to a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 domain, you may receive the following error messages:

The following error occurred attempting to join the domain domainname:
Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password
"The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted"

When this problem occurs, the following error may appear in the %windir%\Debug\Netsetup.log file:

NetUseAdd to \\DC01\IPC$ returned 1326
NetpJoinDomain: status of connecting to dc '\\DC01': 0x52e
NetpDoDomainJoin: status: 0x52e

Note Error code 1326 and error code 0x52e are both mapped to the ERROR_LOGON_FAILURE error. The ERROR_LOGON_FAILURE error corresponds to the following error message:

Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.

This problem also applies to Windows Server 2008.

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WORKAROUND

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2-based computers cannot be joined to a Windows NT 4.0 SP6A domain. There are no workarounds for this behavior.

To work around this problem for Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, create the computer account in the Windows NT 4.0 domain before you join the Windows Vista-based client computer to the domain. Or, join the computer to a domain whose domain controller is running one of the following operating systems:

Microsoft Windows 2000
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 R2
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 R2

Note Microsoft does not support joining a Windows Vista-based or later computer to a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 domain. This scenario has not been tested.

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MORE INFORMATION

Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 logging information

The Netlogon log from the domain’s primary domain controller shows:

==================
04/01 18:09:49 [MISC] In control handler (Opcode: 4)
04/01 18:10:00 [LOGON] SamLogon: Network logon of (null)\administrator from \\163614WIN7 Entered
04/01 18:10:00 [LOGON] SamLogon: Network logon of (null)\administrator from \\163614WIN7 Returns 0x0
04/01 18:10:38 [MAILSLOT] Received mailslot opcode 0x12 on transport: \Device\NetBT_DC21X41
04/01 18:10:38 [LOGON] Sam logon mailslot message for  from \\163614WIN7. Response 0x15
==================

The Netsetup.log on the computer being joined shows:

==================
04/01/2009 16:58:33:156 NetpValidateName: checking to see if '163597ntdom' is valid as type 3 name
04/01/2009 16:58:33:186 NetpCheckDomainNameIsValid [ Exists ] for '163597ntdom' returned 0x0
04/01/2009 16:58:33:186 NetpValidateName: name '163597ntdom' is valid for type 3
04/01/2009 16:58:33:186 NetpDsGetDcName: trying to find DC in domain '163597ntdom', flags: 0x40001010
04/01/2009 16:58:33:196 NetpDsGetDcName: failed to find a DC in the specified domain: 0x54b, last error is 0x0
04/01/2009 16:58:33:196 NetpJoinDomainOnDs: NetpDsGetDcName returned: 0x54b
04/01/2009 16:58:33:196 NetpJoinDomainOnDs: Function exits with status of: 0x54b
04/01/2009 16:58:33:196 NetpDoDomainJoin: status: 0x54b

For more information about the Microsoft support life cycle policy, visit the following Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle (http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle)

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