Authentication Error on Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 98

A TAS authentication error occurs when a user runs Windows NT 4.0 client with Service Pack 3 (SP3) installed, or Windows 98. If the user attempts to browse a TAS server for shared volumes, or to connect to a TAS volume, the following TAS error message is displayed:

Incorrect password or unknown username for \\serverName.

This error occurs even if the user enters a valid UNIX username and password.

By default, Windows NT 4.0 SP3 and Windows 98 clients use secure authentication. The PC and the TAS server engage in a "challenge/response" exchange, which ensures that they agree on the validity of a password, without sending the actual password over the wire.

The client uses the password to encode a nonsense string (supplied by the server). The client then returns the encoded string to the server. The server performs a similar encoding and, if the nonsense strings match, authenticates the client.

To support this authentication scheme, TAS must maintain a private password file, distinct from the UNIX password file. To enable authentication, you must populate the TAS private password file with UNIX user names and passwords.

Complete these steps to enable secure TAS authentication and eliminate this error:

1. Click the TNAS TAS Administration and Configuration sphere icon to display TAS administration and configuration options.

2. Click LM-NT-OS/2 Realm.

3. In the LM-NT-OS/2 Realm panel, click: Manage File Services->

4. Select the file service you want to manage and click Administer.

5. On the resulting screen, click Authentication and Service Mode Options.

6. Enable Local authentication and click Submit.

7. Enable Password encryption and click Submit.

8. Click OK.

9. To establish entries in the TAS private password file, click these links in the TAS frame:

   Passwords->type in the UNIX user name->Create

   A user must have a valid UNIX account for you to enter the name into the TAS password file.

10. In the resulting form, enter and renter the user's password and click Submit. This user will now be authenticated correctly.

11. Repeat steps 7-9 for each UNIX user requiring TAS authentication.