A domain administrator or local administrator incorrectly receives a warning message “Cannot find a valid Terminal Services Licensing Server” when this user account logs on to a Windows Server 2008 Terminal server

Applies To
Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2

Symptoms

Consider the following scenario:

  • You enable the License server security Group Policy on a Terminal Services Licensing (TS Licensing) server that is running Windows Server 2008.
  • You add a terminal server to the "terminal server computers" group on the TS Licensing server.
  • You create a terminal server session to the terminal server by using a domain administrator account or a local administrator account.

In this scenario, you receive one of the following warning message balloons when you log on to the terminal server:

  • Note

    Cannot find a valid Terminal Services License Server

    Terminal Services will stop working because this computer is past its grace period and has not connected to a valid terminal services license server. Click this message to launch the Terminal Services Configuration tool to specify a valid license server.

  • Note

    Cannot find a valid Terminal Services License Server

    Terminal Services will stop working if this computer does not connect to a valid Terminal Services license server within 2 days. Click this message to launch the Terminal Services Configuration tool to specify a valid license server.

Note If you run the Licensing Diagnosis tool in the Terminal Services Configuration MMC snap-in (Tsconfig.msc), you notice that the terminal server is connected to the TS Licensing server successfully.

Cause

This issue occurs because the Tlsbln.exe (Windows Terminal Services Balloon Reminder) on the terminal server incorrectly performs a security check and reports a false warning message.

Resolution

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 the problem described in this article. 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:

http:⁠//support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support 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

To apply this hotfix, you must be running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2). Additionally, the Terminal Services role must be installed on the computer.For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

968849 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2008

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Server 2008 file information notes

Important Windows Vista hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows Vista" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows Vista" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

  • The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.

    Version Product SR_Level Service branch
    6.0.600
    1.
    22xxx
    Windows Server 2008 SP1 LDR
    6.0.600
    2.
    22xxx
    Windows Server 2008 SP2 LDR
  • Service Pack 1 is integrated into the release version of Windows Server 2008. Therefore, RTM milestone files apply only to Windows Vista. RTM milestone files have a 6.0.0000.xxxxx version number.

  • The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008" section. MUM files and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are veryimportant to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Tlsbln.exe 6.0.6001.22690 56,320 12-May-2010 14:22 x86
Tssrvlic.dll 6.0.6001.22690 88,064 12-May-2010 15:37 x86
Tlsbln.exe 6.0.6002.22403 56,320 12-May-2010 14:49 x86
Tssrvlic.dll 6.0.6002.22403 88,064 12-May-2010 16:45 x86
Mstlsapi.dll 6.0.6001.22690 86,016 12-May-2010 15:35 x86
Mstlsapi.dll 6.0.6002.22403 86,016 12-May-2010 16:42 x86

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

File name File version File size Date Time Platform
Tlsbln.exe 6.0.6001.22690 46,080 12-May-2010 14:44 x64
Tssrvlic.dll 6.0.6001.22690 97,280 12-May-2010 16:01 x64
Tlsbln.exe 6.0.6002.22403 46,080 12-May-2010 15:07 x64
Tssrvlic.dll 6.0.6002.22403 97,280 12-May-2010 16:50 x64
Mstlsapi.dll 6.0.6001.22690 139,776 12-May-2010 15:59 x64
Mstlsapi.dll 6.0.6002.22403 139,776 12-May-2010 16:48 x64
Mstlsapi.dll 6.0.6001.22690 86,016 12-May-2010 15:35 x86
Mstlsapi.dll 6.0.6002.22403 86,016 12-May-2010 16:42 x86

Workaround

To work around this issue when you log on to a terminal server as a domain administrator, use one of the following methods. To work around this issue when you log on to the terminal server as a local administrator, use only Method 1 or Method 2:

Method 1

Ignore the false warning message balloon. Then, use the Licensing Diagnosis tool to check whether the terminal server discovers the TS Licensing server.

Method 2

Use Task Scheduler to disable Tlsbln.exe. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, type Task Scheduler in the Search box, and then click Task Scheduler.
  2. In Task Scheduler, expand Task Scheduler Library, expand Microsoft, expand Windows, expand termsrv, and then click licensing.
  3. Right-click TlsWarning that is displayed on the right side column of the Task Scheduler, and then click Disable.

Method 3

Add the domain administrators group to the "terminal server computers" group on the TS Licensing server.

Status

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

More Information

This hotfix only corrects the warning balloon message if you log on to the terminal service session as a domain administrator. If you want to log on to the terminal service session as a local administrator, use the applicable workarounds that are described in the "Workaround" section.

For more information about TS Licensing, visit the following Microsoft website:

General information about TS Licensing For more information about software update terminology, 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

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

File name Update.mum
File version Not applicable
File size 3,455
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_2bc52a408696ccbb93dd4290ddbfd0af_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_1a43e5492cd4a33e.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 724
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_c0e4e9fa49b48186ee2eb5bfc6466a4c_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_02c15bc12ea9e675.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 720
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_c224e164f2e0f360963e4c43bc1d517e_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_a1dec0ef4bebd0c6.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 720
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_e7e07d476e9a79ba16dbcfa2224b7fc6_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_a0b05cd8809f0aa3.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 724
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-t..appserver-licensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_a6de727154c3f586.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 12,726
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 17:15
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-t..appserver-licensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_a9293669519e985d.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 12,726
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 18:22
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-t..ces-serverlicensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_f1f1cddb4edefb44.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 6,536
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 17:19
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-t..ces-serverlicensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_f43c91d34bb99e1b.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 6,536
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 18:27
Platform Not applicable

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

File name Amd64_1b8c25aae3e9a7a02d3e51edf63a1d9c_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_f49b897b286e0487.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 1,088
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_2b12c4661fcd117ff4b902287d00362d_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_bc3723996e5b09e2.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 728
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_63ef79cca64ee870bae46b257385e889_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_6047cefbbd436785.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 724
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_c224e164f2e0f360963e4c43bc1d517e_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_fdfd5c73044941fc.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 722
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_f48d869571640c98c7c3d2dc97e8a730_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_862001e652855e4b.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 724
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_f72e7585d3e214e5d76cd0fa3f633582_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_52007e91398233f8.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 728
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-t..appserver-licensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_02fd0df50d2166bc.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 12,760
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 17:43
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-t..appserver-licensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_0547d1ed09fc0993.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 12,760
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 18:25
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-t..ces-serverlicensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_4e10695f073c6c7a.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 6,562
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 17:49
Platform Not applicable
File name Amd64_microsoft-windows-t..ces-serverlicensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_505b2d5704170f51.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 6,562
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 18:30
Platform Not applicable
File name Update.mum
File version Not applicable
File size 3,483
Date (UTC) 13-May-2010
Time (UTC) 06:07
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-t..ces-serverlicensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6001.22690_none_f1f1cddb4edefb44.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 6,536
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 17:19
Platform Not applicable
File name X86_microsoft-windows-t..ces-serverlicensing_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.22403_none_f43c91d34bb99e1b.manifest
File version Not applicable
File size 6,536
Date (UTC) 12-May-2010
Time (UTC) 18:27
Platform Not applicable