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Fix “WNetAddConnection2 failed (LOGON32_LOGON_INTERACTIVE) using account” in Configuration Manager

This Configuration Manager message is not automatically a password error. Decode the hexadecimal code, test ADMIN$ from the site server, and verify effective local-admin, SMB, DNS, firewall and policy access.

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This message usually appears when Configuration Manager client push cannot connect from the site server to a target computer’s administrative share, commonly \TARGET-COMPUTERAdmin$. It is not automatically a bad-password error. Read the hexadecimal code in ccm.log, then test name resolution, SMB, the ADMIN$ share, and the client-push account’s effective local-administrator rights.

What the message means

During client push, the Client Configuration Manager component on the site server attempts to establish a Windows network connection to the target computer. WNetAddConnection2 is the Windows API used to connect to a network resource such as an SMB share; its failure can mean an unavailable path, invalid name, authentication failure, access denial, or a conflicting existing connection. See the WNetAddConnection2A reference.

LOGON32_LOGON_INTERACTIVE is Windows logon type 2. It describes the token-creation method used for the supplied account, not proof that someone is physically logged on to the computer. The surrounding log lines and the error value are more diagnostic than this phrase alone. Microsoft documents the API and logon behavior in the LogonUser reference and Windows logon scenarios.

Historical Configuration Manager guidance describes this class of failure as an inability to connect to ADMIN$ or related remote-management resources. A matching Configuration Manager 2012 R2 case was resolved by making the client-push account a local administrator on the target machines, but that fix does not address DNS, routing, disabled shares, or firewall failures. See the reported case and archived Microsoft troubleshooting material.

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Start with the server-side log

Open <Configuration Manager installation directory>Logsccm.log on the site server. The exact installation path varies by release and setup. Look for entries from SMS_CLIENT_CONFIG_MANAGER, including the target name, account, hexadecimal code, and 20–30 lines before and after the failure.

Attempting to connect to administrative share 'HOSTAdmin$'
using account 'DOMAINAccount'
WNetAddConnection2 failed (...)
ERROR: Unable to access target machine ...

Use the target’s ccmsetup.log only after files have been copied and installation has started. A connection failure can occur before the target has a working Configuration Manager client.

Decode the hexadecimal error

Convert the value to decimal and map it to Microsoft’s system error codes 0–499 or codes 1300–1699. Common branches are:

Log value Decimal Typical meaning First checks
00000035 53 Network path not found DNS, target availability, SMB and firewall
00000005 5 Access denied Effective local-admin rights, policy and UAC filtering
0000052e 1326 Username or password is incorrect Account format, password, lockout, expiry and trust
00000043 67 Bad network name Computer/share name and name resolution

A code such as 00000035 should not be “fixed” by adding permissions; it normally indicates that the path cannot be found. Conversely, a valid password does not grant access to ADMIN$.

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Run the connectivity checks from the site server

1. Confirm the name and host are reachable

Test-Connection TARGET-COMPUTER -Count 2
Resolve-DnsName TARGET-COMPUTER
Test-NetConnection TARGET-COMPUTER -Port 445

DNS failure points to stale records, suffixes or an incorrect computer name. A failed ping is inconclusive because ICMP may be blocked. A failed TCP 445 test strongly indicates an SMB, route or firewall problem. On older PowerShell versions, use:

net view \TARGET-COMPUTER
dir \TARGET-COMPUTERADMIN$

2. Test the exact share with the configured account

net use \TARGET-COMPUTERAdmin$ /user:DOMAINusername *
dir \TARGET-COMPUTERAdmin$
net use \TARGET-COMPUTERAdmin$ /delete

The asterisk prompts for a password; do not put passwords in command history or scripts. If Windows reports that multiple connections using different credentials are not allowed, inspect and remove only the conflicting session:

net use
net use \TARGET-COMPUTERIPC$ /delete
net use \TARGET-COMPUTERAdmin$ /delete

Verify the client-push account

  • Use the correct scope, normally DOMAINusername for a domain account.
  • Confirm the account is enabled, not expired or locked out, and that Configuration Manager has its current password.
  • Ensure the account is an effective member of the target computer’s local Administrators group.
  • Confirm policy grants network access and does not deny it.
  • Check that the site server and target have a usable domain trust.

Nested group membership can be removed or replaced by Group Policy, Restricted Groups, Local Users and Groups policy, or endpoint-management software. Check effective membership rather than assuming that a domain group was applied.

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net localgroup administrators

For domain diagnostics, use the organization’s approved identity tools and, where applicable:

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whoami /user
nltest /sc_verify:DOMAIN

If the target is in a workgroup, domain credentials do not have the same trust relationship as they do on a domain-joined computer. Use a supported Configuration Manager installation method for workgroup clients instead of repeatedly changing passwords.

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Check administrative shares and services on the target

net share
sc query lanmanserver

A typical supported Windows workstation or server exposes ADMIN$ and IPC$, subject to edition and policy. If ADMIN$ is missing, investigate the Server service, administrative-share policy, registry or Group Policy changes, security software, and the target’s Windows edition. Do not recreate the share or edit the registry until you establish why automatic administrative shares were disabled.

Separate SMB, RPC, authentication and authorization

  • SMB reachability: TCP 445 and the share path must be reachable.
  • RPC and service control: remote installation operations require the relevant RPC and remote-service traffic permitted by your Configuration Manager and Windows versions.
  • Authentication: the account must obtain a valid token.
  • Authorization: that token must have effective local-admin and remote-management rights.

A successful port-445 test proves only basic SMB reachability. Check Windows Firewall rule sets, domain-profile policy, network segmentation, VPN routes and endpoint-security logs. Do not disable the firewall as a permanent remedy; if policy allows a brief controlled test, restore it and create narrowly scoped inbound rules for the required traffic.

Review local security policy and UAC restrictions

Even a domain account in local Administrators can be affected by UAC remote filtering, Deny access to this computer from the network, missing Access this computer from the network, NTLM restrictions, SMB-signing requirements, domain isolation or security software that blocks remote service creation.

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  1. Verify account scope and effective group membership.
  2. Review Resultant Set of Policy and security logs on the target.
  3. Check endpoint-protection events for blocked administrative-share or remote-service activity.
  4. Change UAC or authentication policy only under an approved security change, preferably through domain policy, and record a rollback.

Broadly weakening UAC, NTLM or firewall protections can expose every managed computer and is not a default fix.

Retry and verify the installation

  1. Correct the specific cause identified by the code and tests.
  2. Trigger client push again from the Configuration Manager console.
  3. Watch the site server’s ccm.log for progress beyond the connection attempt.
  4. On the target, confirm file transfer and review ccmsetup.log.
  5. Verify that the client registers and reports to its assigned site.

When client push is the wrong method

Client push depends on administrative shares, SMB/RPC reachability and a deployment account with meaningful rights on each target. Choose another supported installation approach when devices are internet-based, remote across blocked network zones, workgroup-joined, subject to strict local-admin restrictions, or already managed through provisioning, task sequences, software deployment or another management platform. A successful manual ADMIN$ test does not make client push appropriate for every security architecture.

Common traps

  • “It must be the password.” The code may instead indicate a missing path or access denial.
  • Ping works, so client push should work. ICMP does not prove SMB, RPC or authorization.
  • Add more permissions immediately. Permissions cannot repair DNS or routing failures.
  • Rebuild WMI first. An archived HPE case associated 0000052e with a separate suspected WMI problem; rebuilding WMI is not a first-line response to this connection error. See that archived support record.
  • Assume old SCCM behavior is universal. Log wording and supported methods vary by Configuration Manager and Windows release.

Final checklist

  • The target name resolves to the intended computer.
  • The target is online and TCP 445 is reachable.
  • ADMIN$ exists and the Server service is running.
  • The configured account authenticates with the correct scope and current password.
  • The account is an effective local administrator.
  • Firewall, RPC and endpoint-security policies permit the operation.
  • No conflicting SMB session is using another credential.
  • ccm.log progresses beyond the connection attempt and ccmsetup.log records installation.

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