Startup scripts do not run as expected on a computer running Windows XP SP1 or Windows XP SP2

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

You start a computer running Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) on a wired network or on a wireless network that has IEEE 802.11 authentication, and Group Policy startup scripts and logon scripts do not run as expected, or the computer does not join the Active Directory directory service.

Cause

The following entries may appear in the log files in Event Viewer:

Event ID: 1054

Source: NT AUTHORITY/SYSTEM

Type: Error

Description: Windows cannot obtain the domain controller name for your computer network. (The specified domain either does not exist or exist or could not be contacted). Group Policy processing aborted. Data: (unavailable)

Event ID: 1000

Source: UserInit

Type: Error

Description: Could not execute the following script AdminPassword.bat. The system cannot find the file specified. Data: (unavailable)

This problem may occur if the Group Policy engine or Active Directory time out while waiting for the network to start. A race condition may occur between the TCP/IP protocol and the network adaptor driver when they try to register with the Microsoft Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS). If the TCP/IP protocol registers with NDIS before the network adaptor driver, for a short time it prompts higher user mode networking components that network connectivity is not available. As a result, during this short time, the Group Policy startup script cannot be downloaded.

This problem is more likely to occur on fast networks that use 1 gigahertz (GHz) network adaptors or in teaming environments where the network takes several additional cycles to negotiate link speed.

Solution

For computers running Windows XP SP1, you can obtain a supported hotfix from Microsoft to correct this problem. For detailed instructions, see Group Policy startup scripts do not run as expected on a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Service Pack 2 (SP2) on the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=43049).

For computers running Windows XP Service Pack 2, you must add the GpNetworkStartTimeoutPolicyValue registry entry. This entry defines the number of seconds to wait before trying to run the Group Policy startup script again. For more information, see Group Policy startup scripts do not run as expected on a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Service Pack 2 (SP2) on the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=43049).