The "Active Directory Users and Computers" MMC window crashes when you try to find any object in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista systems

Consider the following scenario:

• IPv6 is disabled on a Windows Server 2008-based or Windows Vista-based computer.
  
  Note To disable IPv6, follow the steps in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 929852.
• The Pre-Populate printer search location text policy is enabled on this computer.

In this scenario, when you right-click <domain>, click <organization unit>, click <container>, and then click the Find menu, the "Active Directory Users and Computers" MMC crashes. Additionally, the following Event is logged in the Application log after the issue occurs:

Log Name: Application
Source: Application Error
Event ID: 1000
Task Category: (100)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
Description:
Faulting application mmc.exe, version <version>, time stamp <time stamp>, faulting module printui.dll, version <version>, time stamp <time stamp>, exception code 0xc0000005, fault offset <address>, process id <process ID>, application start time <start time>.

The Printui.dll module incorrectly assumes that the location string should not be empty. If their values are empty, and the conditions that are described in the "Symptoms" section are met, the Printui.dll module encounters an access violation issue. When the access violation occurs, the "Active Directory Users and Computer" MMC window crashes.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Important Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only one of these products may be listed on the �Hotfix Request� page. To request the hotfix package that applies to both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, just select the product that is listed on the page.

Prerequisites

You must have Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2 installed to apply this hotfix.

Restart requirement

You have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 file information notes

• Service Pack 1 is integrated into Windows Server 2008. Therefore, RTM milestone files apply only to Windows Vista. RTM milestone files have a 6.0.0000.xxxxxx version number.
• The MANIFEST (.manifest) files and the MUM (.mum) files that are installed for each environment are listed separately. The MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are critical to maintaining the state of the updated component. The security catalog files, whose attributes are not listed, are signed by using a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

For all supported Itanium-Based versions of Windows Server 2008

To work around the issue, you can use one of the following methods:

• Method 1: Enable IPv6
  To enable IPv6, change the value in the following registry subkey value 0, and then restart the computer:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters\DisabledComponents
• Method 2: Disable the "Pre-Populate printer search location text" Group Policy option
  This policy is located at Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers
• Method 3: Edit the computer account in Active Directory Domain Servers (AD DS) for the affected domain controller
  When you edit the account in AD DS for the domain controller, you must manually add a string in the location field on the Location tab in the computer account properties.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported Itanium-Based versions of Windows Server 2008