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We're running a Win 2k3 R2 Standard 64-bit edition server. On this server we're running a fileserver and the ability to allow remote login to our network through vpn. We do not currently utilize a domain setup, all user accounts are local accounts on the server.

Each employee is given a unique account to login to the server. The password is a randomly generated 16 character long string, which makes it hard to remember. What we've done is basicly had the password stored on the client machine (standard "Remember Me" functionality). This has worked well.

However, last night our server automatically restarted after an automatic update. After that, some of our employees, myself included, had to re-authenticate with the server, submitting our credentials again. Then again, some others did not have to re-authenticate. Do you guys have any idea why this is? Is there a setting to prevent this?

I've checked the logs but I couldn't find anything of interest. Then again I'm not really sure what I'm looking for.

Thanks in advance, I'll try to answer any additional questions you may have.

Edit: When I say "login" or "authenticate" I mean through the standard windows samba protocol.

Edit 2: Ok, new day. Tonight the server restarted again, and the same two clients that had to re-authenticate yesterday had to re-authenticate today as well. The rest did not.

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  • For the machines that had to re authenticate, were they connected/online when the server went offline for restart? For the machines that did not have to re authenticate, were they online when the server went offline for restart?
    – Bortix
    Sep 27, 2012 at 14:30
  • Hello Bart and thanks for commenting my question. All client computers except for one was powered off. Only two computers had to re-authenticate out of the total seven that was at the office today. I don't know yet about the ones that weren't here.
    – user84273
    Sep 27, 2012 at 14:45

2 Answers 2

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You don't mention what version of Windows the clients are running, but compare the contents of the Credential Manager on a machine that didn't have to reauthenticate with one that did. It might be that the users that needed to reauthenticate didn't have a valid entry, and so were prompted.

If it's XP, run control userpasswords2 to get to the Credential Manager's predecessor.

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  • Hello Chris, thanks for posting an answer. All clients are running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. I'm sure the credentials were fine, as I checked all entries myself when I submitted them. Plus my computer was one of those that needed to re-authenticate and I'm sure it was working there.
    – user84273
    Sep 27, 2012 at 20:06
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I figured out the problem. If you have an accountname on your local computer that is the same as your accountname on the server, you have to go into the control panel (on the client), users and click "Manage my credentials". Be sure not to use the local pc as login (as in \\COMPUTERNAME\User, if that's the case then remove the \\COMPUTERNAME\ part so you're only passing the username). Alternatively using the same password locally as you use on the server could work I think (not tested).

Our clients uses W7.

Thanks for the input anyhow!

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