rndc.exe error

[Len Conrad]

bind 9.3 on w2k, runs, is listening on port 53, and 953 as shown by 
"netstat -na", is stop/starting from services applet, and resolving and 
logging fine.  bind logs itself in as windows account "named".

c:\winnt\system32dns\etc\rndc.conf is:

key "rndc-key" {
	algorithm hmac-md5;
	secret "<secret>";
};

options {
default-server 127.0.0.1;
default-key rndc-key;
default-port 953;
};

==========

the key statement above is pasted from the "rndc-confgen -a" command giving 
the rndc.key file, which file is included into named.conf.

The problem is that "rndc status"  gives the generic "rndc.exe has 
generated error and will be closed...log being created"

event viewer /application shows nothing.

thanks
Len