Invalid Accounts Created with ADDUSERS.EXE

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5 and 3.51

SYMPTOMS

In the User Manager for Domains you get the following error message when trying to manage a user or group account with a name created with the ADDUSERS.EXE utility included in the Windows NT Resource kit:

   User Manager for Domains
   The following error occurred accessing the properties of the
   user/group %user/group name%:

   The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
   The user/group properties cannot be edited or viewed at this time.

CAUSE

When you used the ADDUSERS.EXE utility to create a user or group account name containing one or more invalid characters, the utility failed to check for invalid characters and give you an error message.

A Windows NT user name or group name can be up to 15 characters long. It can contain any upper case or lower case character except the following:

   " / \ [ ] : ; | = , + * ? >.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, upgrade to Windows NT Workstation and Server version 4.0.

To work around this problem:

• Delete User accounts with invalid names by using ADDUSERS.EXE with the /e switch. Use ADDUSERS /? for more details.

  -or-

• Restore a good accounts database from a backup tape.

   The following error occurred when trying to delete <username>
   the username or groupname parameter is invalid.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 3.5 and 3.51. This problem was corrected in Windows NT Workstation and Server version 4.0.