When you try to log on to a Windows Server 2003-based domain b... http://support.microsoft.

com/kb/906208

Article ID: 906208 - Last Review: October 11, 2007 - Revision: 4.6
When you try to log on to a Windows Server 2003-based domain by using a
domain user account, the logon request fails

Hotfix Download Available

View and request hotfix downloads

SYMPTOMS

When you try to log on to a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based domain by using a domain
user account, you may experience one of the following symptoms:

The logon request fails, and you receive an error message that is similar to the following: The system cannot log you
on due to the following error: During a logon attempt, the user’s security context accumulated too many security IDs.
Please try again or consult your system administrator.
You can log on, but you cannot access domain resources. For example, you cannot access shared folders or shared
printers.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if you use an account that is a member of more than 1,024 security
groups.

When a user logs on to a computer, the Local Security Authority (LSA) generates an access token for the user. This access token
represents the security context of the user. The access token contains the user’s unique security identifier (SID). A SID is a
unique value of variable length that is used to identify a user account or a security group in Windows. In Windows, a user,
group, or computer that is automatically assigned a security identifier is known as a security principal. A SID controls the
security principal's access to resources.

A security principal that belongs to one or more groups will have a SID for each group. However, because of system limitations,
the field that contains the group membership SIDs in the access token can contain a maximum of 1,024 SIDs. If the access
token contains more than 1,024 SIDs, the LSA cannot create an access token for the user or for another security principal during
a logon attempt.

If the user is a member of more than 1024 security groups, the user cannot log on to the domain or cannot access domain
resources.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, remove the user or other security principal from a sufficient
number of security groups. This step lets the user or other security principal log on to the domain or access domain resources.

To troubleshoot this kind of resource access or logon problem, the Ntdsutil.exe command-line tool has been updated with a new
feature that is named Group Membership Evaluation.

The Group Membership Evaluation feature creates a report that helps you identify the security groups to which the user or other
security principal belongs. You can use this tool to make sure that the user or other security principal is not a member of more
than 1024 security groups.

To update the Ntdsutil tool, apply this hotfix.

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article
number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 889100 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/889100/ ) How to obtain
the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003

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.

1 of 3 3/21/2009 8:57 PM
When you try to log on to a Windows Server 2003-based domain b... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906208

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 (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
No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement
You do not have to restart the 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 tool in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2003, x86-based versions

Date Time Version Size File name -------------------------------------------------------------- 10-Oct-2005

23:44 5.2.3790.422 281,088 Ntdsutil.exe 11-Oct-2005 00:53 5.2.3790.2545 312,320 Ntdsutil.exe

Windows Server 2003, x64-based versions

Date Time Version Size File name -------------------------------------------------------------- 10-Oct-2005

14:31 5.2.3790.2545 502,272 Ntdsutil.exe 10-Oct-2005 14:31 5.2.3790.2545 312,320 Wntdsutil.exe

Windows Server 2003, Itanium-based versions

Date Time Version Size File name -------------------------------------------------------------- 10-Oct-2005

23:44 5.2.3790.422 281,088 Ntdsutil.exe 11-Oct-2005 00:53 5.2.3790.2545 312,320 Ntdsutil.exe

STATUS

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 Server 2003 Service Pack 2.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how to address access token violation issues and how to use the
Ndtsutil tool to evaluate group membership, see the "Addressing Problems Due to Access Token Limitation" white paper. To
download this white paper, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads
/details.aspx?FamilyId=22DD9251-0781-42E6-9346-89D577A3E74A&displaylang=en (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads
/details.aspx?FamilyId=22DD9251-0781-42E6-9346-89D577A3E74A&displaylang=en) For more information about the Ntdsutil tool, visit the
following Microsoft Web site: http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/5b1d983d-ffab-4514-
a95e-6aa0420dacb51033.mspx (http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/5b1d983d-ffab-4514-a95e-6aa0420dacb51033.mspx)
For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 816915
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816915/ ) New file naming schema for Microsoft Windows software update
packages 824684 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824684/ ) Description of the standard terminology that is used to
describe Microsoft software updates

APPLIES TO

2 of 3 3/21/2009 8:57 PM
When you try to log on to a Windows Server 2003-based domain b... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906208

Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)

Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition for Itanium-Based Systems
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter x64 Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition

Keywords: kbautohotfix kbwinserv2003sp2fix kbqfe kbhotfixserver kbtshoot kbbug kbfix kbpubtypekc KB906208

Get Help Now

Contact a support professional by E-mail, Online, or Phone

Help and Support

©2009 Microsoft

3 of 3 3/21/2009 8:57 PM