rndc.exe error

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