Users are unable to log on to the network or access network resources

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Cause:  If Small Business Server 2003 cannot validate the number of installed client access licenses (CALs), the number of available licenses will be reset to five. This can occur if Active Directory is unavailable or if the license store becomes corrupt. When this happens, you will receive an error message that will also be logged to the System event log. The following error is also recorded in the Application event log:

"No license was available for user Domain\Username using product Productname. Use Licensing from the Administrative Tools folder to ensure that you have sufficient licenses."

Solution:  To correct this problem, restore the CALs from a valid license store using the Restore License Wizard, or from System backup using the Backup or Restore Wizard. Alternately, you can use the Add License Wizard to reissue them.

Note

To complete the following procedures, you must be logged on as a member of the Domain Admins security group.

To restore CALs using the Restore License Wizard

  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Licensing.

    Details about the currently installed CALs appear in the details pane.

  2. Click Restore Licenses.

  3. Follow the instructions to specify the file name and location of the backup file from which you want to restore the CALs.

To restore CALs using the Backup or Restore Wizard

  1. Insert the correct tape into the tape drive, or connect the removable hard drive to the system

  2. Open the Backup or Restore Wizard. To do this, click Start, click Run, type ntbackup, and then click OK.

    If the Backup or Restore Wizard does not recognize the backup media, the Recognizable Media Found dialog box appears. Select Allow Backup Utility.

  3. On the Backup or Restore page, select Restore files and settings.

  4. On the What to Restore page, under Items to restore, select the files or folders that you want to restore, and then click Next.

  5. On the Completing the Backup or Restore Wizard page, review the settings. If you want to change the location to which the backup is restored or how the existing files that you are backing up are handled, click Advanced.

    1. On the Where to Restore page, you can change the location to which your files are restored, or you can choose to have your files restored to a single folder.
    2. On the How to Restore page, you can choose what to do with the versions of the files that already exist on your computer.
    3. On the Advanced Restore Options page, if you chose to restore to the original location on the Where to restore page, ensure that the Restore junction points, but not the folders and the file data they reference check box is selected. If you chose to save to a different location, ensure that the check box is not selected.

Note

Do recover files through a Remote Desktop session.

To reissue CALs to the same server

  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Licensing.

    Details about the currently installed CALs appear in the details pane.

  2. In the details pane, click Add Client Licenses to open the Add License Wizard, and then follow the wizard instructions.

  3. On the Contact Method page, select whether you will use the Internet or the telephone to reissue licenses.

  4. After completing the wizard, refresh the Licensing console to verify the successful reissue of the CALs.

Note

You will be required to provide the license codes that you received when you purchased the CALs.

Note

If you have a choice between using the telephone or using the Internet to activate CALs, it is recommended that you use the Internet.

Note

If you are using the telephone to activate the CALs, be prepared to provide a customer service representative with the Installation IDs from the Confirmation Information page in the wizard. You can print both the contact information and Installation IDs from the Confirmation Information wizard page.

Note

If you have made changes to the hardware configuration of your computer since first adding the CALs, you may be required to transfer licenses rather than reissue them.

Note

To avoid the need to reissue CALs, it is recommended that you restore licenses from backup whenever possible.