Windows error 68 (ERROR_TOO_MANY_NAMES): meaning and diagnosis

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: A legacy NetBIOS node exhausted the number of names it could register or maintain.

Could be also:
Constant	Type	OS
EADV	errno	Linux
EUSERS	errno	Mac
EADV	errno	Solaris
MULTIPLE_IRP_COMPLETE_REQUESTS	BugCheck Code	Windows

Previous	Next
ERROR_BAD_NET_NAME	ERROR_TOO_MANY_SESS

ERROR_TOO_MANY_NAMES

NetBIOS name service treats names as registered resources and distinguishes unique names from group names. RFC 1001 describes node configuration parameters and name-registration behavior; the Win32 wording reflects a limit in that legacy naming model rather than a limit on DNS hostnames or SMB share names.

When this appears, identify the NetBIOS-capable component and enumerate the names it is trying to own. Repeated registration without release, an abnormal compatibility service, or a deliberately small implementation limit are more relevant than changing TCP socket counts.

Differentiate the legacy quotas

ERROR_TOO_MANY_NAMES concerns registered NetBIOS names.
ERROR_TOO_MANY_SESS concerns NetBIOS sessions.
ERROR_TOO_MANY_CMDS concerns command resources/outstanding command handling.
Capture name-registration and release behavior before restarting the node and losing the evidence.

RFC 1001 NetBIOS concepts and methods · RFC 1002 NetBIOS detailed specification

Looking for a different code? Search another status or error code.