Error: "NMAS: client login module not found"

  • 7008605
  • 01-Jun-2012
  • 01-Jun-2012

Environment

NetIQ Modular Authentication Service (NMAS)
Novell Enhanced Smart Card Method (NESCM)
Novell Client for Windows 7

Situation

After uninstalling and reinstalling the Novell Client for Windows 7, an attempt to login using the Enhanced Smart Card method will fail, and errors will be displayed:

Login failed. Error Code: 0xFFFFF981

Novell Security Message

NMAS: client login module not found

Resolution

To avoid this error, run the installation in the following order:

  1. Install the Novell Client and NMAS Client.
  2. Install NMAS method (LCM)

To correct the problem, reinstall the Novell Client, then reinstall NESCM or add NESCM by using NCC.

Instead of uninstalling and reinstalling the Novell Client, you can run the setup.exe file for the same Client version or upgrade it by running the new version's setup.exe file.

Cause

When the Novell Client is uninstalled, NMAS also gets uninstalled. As a result, the NMAS key hive (HKLM\Software\Novell\NMAS) is removed. NESCM's keys are located in the same area, and are also deleted. Without these keys, NESCM can't operate.

Installing Novell Client installs NMAS and which in turn ends up creating the HKLM\Software\Novell\NMAS key hive - but without the NESCM keys.

In other words, uninstalling the Novell Client does not remove the NMAS methods from a system, it only removes the configuration information. When the NMAS client is reinstalled on a system with NMAS methods installed, the NMAS Client looks for the configuration information required to load the appropriate login client module, which causes eDirectory login failure and displays the "client module not found" error.

Additional Information