A browser election is a normal network occurance. An election provides a means to guarantee there is never more than one master browser present in a domain/workgroup. A master browser is elected in the following priority:
NT Server installed as PDC
NT Server
NT Workstation
other
A PDC (Primary Domain Controller) is automatically the Domain Master Browser even if "IsDomainMaster=TRUE" is set in the Registry on another NT Server in the domain.
If you are running workgroup servers (no domain controller) and want to force a specific server to be the preferred master browser, set the following registry entry on that server to TRUE:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\IsDomainMaster
To prevent an NT Workstation or Server (non-PDC) from acting as a browser, set the following entry to No:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\MaintainServerList
To prevent a WFWG system from acting as a browser, create and/or set the following statement in the [Network] section of System.ini of the WFWG client:
MaintainServerList=No. Other valid entries are Yes and Auto.
Windows 95 machines can only participate in a browser election if they are configured for File and/or Print sharing. This is accomplished in Control Panel / Networks. To set or check the browser settings, scroll the network Configuration for File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks. Highlight this entry and click the Properties button. Select Browse Master and choose from Disabled, Enabled, or Automatic.
