samba - Feb 2012 - Samba 3.6.1 losing browser elections to WinXP

Hello Samba;

I am aware this was a problem years ago...

This week I turned up a brand new server
to replace an embarrassingly old one.  The
problem has re-occurred.

I expected this to be a problem long ago
fixed.

I have made the following registry edit to the
offending XP machine and restarted Samba.
I hope it sticks.

I have two questions:

1) Have I missed something in the configuration?
    or is there some reason this isn't fixed?

2)  How can I force a browser election without
     restarting the daemons?  smbd doesn't seem
     to respond to a SIGHUP.  A command line would
     be nice.

Thanks,
Ray



Details to follow:
This is a standalone server in a workgroup
(no domain) on an OpenBSD 5.0 platform.

My relevant smb.conf settings:

Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE

[global]
         workgroup = MY_WORKGROUP
         server string = Samba %v
         interfaces = bge0
         passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
         passwd chat = *password* %n\n *password* %n\n *successful*
         username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
         unix password sync = Yes
         log file = /var/log/samba/smbd.%m
         max log size = 1024
         add user script = /usr/sbin/useradd %u
         delete user script = /usr/sbin/userdel %u
         add group script = /usr/sbin/groupadd %g
         delete group script = /usr/sbin/groupdel %g
         delete user from group script = /usr/sbin/deluser %u %g
         add machine script = /usr/sbin/adduser -n -g machines -c Machine -d
/dev/null -s
/bin/false %u
         logon script = %U_logon.bat
         logon path = \\%L\profiles\%U-%m
         logon drive = H:
         logon home = \\%L\%U
         os level = 65
         preferred master = Yes
         domain master = No
         wins proxy = Yes
         utmp = Yes
         idmap config * : backend = tdb
         admin users = +wheel

> 2)  How can I force a browser election without
>     restarting the daemons?  smbd doesn't seem
>     to respond to a SIGHUP.  A command line would
>     be nice.
>
Look at the "smbcontrol" command.

>         os level = 65
Did you try to increase "os level" ?

Also, read the man page for the "domain master" parameter.

 From smb.conf  man page:

preferred master (G)

     This boolean parameter controls if nmbd(8) is a preferred master 
browser for its workgroup.

     If this is set to yes, on startup, nmbd will force an election, and 
it will have a slight advantage in winning the election. *It is 
recommended that this parameter is used in conjunction with domain 
master = yes, so that nmbd can guarantee becoming a domain master.*