"LSASS.EXE terminated unexpectedly with status code -1073741571" error message after you upgrade a Windows 2000 domain controller to Windows Server 2003

When you upgrade a Microsoft Windows 2000 domain controller to Microsoft Windows Server 2003, and then you restart the domain controller, you may receive one of the following error messages:

The "-1073741571" error may occur if the registry data type for the SearchList entry is set to a Dword value type (REG_DWORD) instead of to a String value type (REG_SZ) in the registry.

The "-1073741819" error may occur if the registry data type for the NSPI interface protocol sequences entry is set to a String value type (REG_SZ) instead of a Multi-String value type (REG_MULTI_SZ) in the registry.

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. To resolve the problem that is related to the "-1073741571" error, follow these steps:

1. Start your computer in Safe Mode.
2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Locate and expand the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
4. Change the data type from REG_DWORD to REG_SZ. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. In the right pane, right-click SearchList, and then click Delete.
   2. Click Yes to confirm that you want to delete this entry.
   3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click String Value.
   4. Type SearchList, and then click OK.
5. Quit Registry Editor.
6. Restart your computer.

To resolve the problem that is related to the "-1073741819" error, follow these steps:

1. Start your computer in safe mode.
2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Locate and expand the following registry subkey: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters
4. Change the data type from REG_SZ to REG_MULTI_SZ. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. In the right pane, right-click NSPI interface protocol sequences, and then click Delete.
   2. Click Yes to confirm that you want to delete this entry.
   3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Multi-String Value.
   4. Type NSPI interface protocol sequences, and then click OK.
5. Exit Registry Editor.
6. Restart your computer.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem will be corrected in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.

For additional information about Lsass.exe error messages, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: