JSI Tip 4384. Windows XP user name may not be the same as the computer name?

Windows XP implements a check to prevent you from creating a user name that is the same as the computer's name.

This will prevent problems with programs that use NetBIOS names from mistaking an 03 NetBIOS entry (user), from a 03 NetBIOS entry (the computer's Messenger service).

If you open a CMD prompt and type nbtstat -a <computer_name>, a display similar to the following is produced:

Local Area Connection:
Node IpAddress: \[nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn\] Scope Id: \[\]

           NetBIOS Remote Machine Name Table

    Name                 Type        Status
    ---------------------------------------------
    SERVERNAME     <00>  UNIQUE      Registered
    DOMAIN         <00>  GROUP       Registered
    SERVERNAME     <03>  UNIQUE      Registered
    SERVERNAME     <20>  UNIQUE      Registered
    DOMAIN         <1E>  GROUP       Registered
    USERNAME       <03>  UNIQUE      Registered

    MAC Address = 00-B0-D0-DC-E5-87

where:

00 is the Workstation service.

03 is the Messenger service.
03 is the user name.

20 is the Server service.

Notice how a duplicate user name and computer name would both register identical 03 entries.

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