Non-administrators cannot log on to the console of the computers that are running Windows Server 2008 if locale information is set in Group Policy Preferences

Symptoms

Consider the following scenario. You enable the locale Group Policy Preferences setting in a domain policy and configure it to apply to the computers that are running Windows Server 2008. The URL path for the locale Group Policy Preferences setting is as follows:

User -> Preference -> Control Panel Settings -> Regional Option – User Locale – enabled (F5)Note In some environments, just enabling the policy creates a reproduction of the problem. Other users reported that changing the locale to a value other than "English (United States)" such as "English (United Kingdom)" was required.


In this scenario, you encounter one or more of the following issues:

• The Windows Event Log service does not fully start.
  
  
  
  The Services snap-in, services.msc, displays the service status for the Windows Event Log service as the "Starting…"status.

• The DNS Server service does not start on the computers that are running Windows Server 2008 and that apply the locale policy.
  
  
  
  The Services snap-in (services.msc) displays the service status for the DNS Server service by using a null status that means "not started," "stopped," or "paused."
  
  When you try to start the DNS Server service, it fails, and you receive the following error message:

  Error 1722: The RPC server is unavailable.

  
  
  Computers that point to these DNS servers that are in this state cannot resolve DNS names on the corporate network or on the Internet unless an alternative DNS server is configured and is responding to DNS queries. Windows Server 2008 DNS Servers that are subjected to this policy may be affected.
  
  Note The DNS Client service is not affected by this policy.

• The Task Scheduler service does not start on the computers that are running Windows Server 2008 and that apply the locale policy.
  
  
  
  The Services snap-in (services.msc) displays the service status for the Task Scheduler service by using a null status that means "not started," "stopped," or "paused."
  
  
  
  When you try to start the DNS Server service, it fails, and you receive the following error message:

  Error 1053: The service did not to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

• When you try to open Event Viewer, it fails, and you receive the following error message:

  Event Log service is unavailable. Verify that the service is running.

• Logon experience is only affected if users log on to a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 and that is pointed to an affected DNS server.

Cause

This problem occurs because the Group Policy preference setting sets incorrect locale data into a registry key.

This behavior causes an exception in the Windows Event Log service. Therefore, the logon attempt by the user fails.

The Task Scheduler service has a “depends on” relationship with the Windows Event Log service.



The DNS Server service does not have a "depends on" relationship with Windows Event Log service. However, the auditing requirements prevent in DNS Server service that is in Windows Server 2008 from starting if security events cannot be logged.

Resolution

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To resolve these problems, follow these steps and then apply this hotfix:

1. Click Start , type
   regedit
   in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

2. Locate the following registry subkey:

   HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\International

3. Double-click the Locale registry entry.

4. In the Value data box, change the data to
   0000809, and then click OK.
   

5. On the File menu, click Exit.

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

More Information

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates