25 minute log on to Win2000 Server from workstations 3

[loosingit]

I have 13 Win2000 workstations that take approx 25 minutes to boot up. The server is approx 4 years old, Intel 1.50Ghz processor, 1024 Ram with Service pack 4, 80 gig hard drive, 60 gigs free. This happened last August and the problem was solved after we removed SLmail and outsourced our email. It started again Tuesday afternoon. No new software has been installed and virus and spyware scans have come up clean. The only thing I have found that helps is to disconnect the network cable from the workstation until sign on screen, connect, sign on and then disconnect for normal boot up. Also, installing Zone Alarm has helped for normal bootup to sign on screen then it takes about 5 minutes after that to come up. NIC has been replaced on the server with no change. The one workstation that still has Win98 running does not have this problem.

Any help is appreciated and please know that I am not as knowledgeable about servers as I am with workstations.

 

[Davetoo]

Check the server logs for anything suspicious that began on Tuesday.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[loosingit]

In the System log I have the following error over and over but this is also there prior to Tuesday:

Registration of the DNS record '_ldap._tcp.Default-First-Site-Name._sites.gc._msdcs.domain.ourcompanyname.com. 600 IN SRV 0 100 3268 southern-2k.domain.ourcompanyname.com.' failed with the following error:
DNS operation refused.

I have no idea what this means.

 

[itsp1965]

You say it helps to disconnect the workstations network cable. Does this problem occur when machines only logoff/logon again or after a reboot of the machine. It sounds like your switch has "Portfast" enabled on the ports which causes a delay in initialization

 

[loosingit]

This happens when the workstations are first turned on in the morning or if they are rebooted. I am not familiar with "portfast" can you tell me how to check this?

 

[Davetoo]

What is the event id associated with the error? Once you have that, enter it at eventid.net and follow any solutions there.



I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[ncotton]

what is your (overview), network infrastucture? What intermeditary smart devices have you in places, switches/routers/proxies/firewalls.

Hope this Helps.

Neil J Cotton
njc Information Systems
Systems Consultant

 

[loosingit]

Win2000 server, dlink network hub, fortinet firewall, DSL Cisco router, 13 workstations. So far no luck on the event id. I did find our DNS Server address was pointing to old address's and changed those. I have the following warnings in the System log that I am looking into:

The browser has forced an election on network \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{4DCC4869-2C07-4A46-808E-C94AFBA38702} because the Domain Controller (or Server) has changed its role

Event ID 8035 Browser

and

Dynamic registration or deregistration of one or more DNS records failed because no DNS servers are available.

Event ID 5787 NETLOGON

I am also getting a message in the TCP/IP area that there is another network card (Micronix MS98715 Family Fast ethernet adapter) with the same address as the one in use (intel Pro/100 VR network) but cannot find this card on the server in device manager.

 

[DTracy]

The message about the duplicate IP could be related to the message about the browser elections.

Do you have a domain, and if so, is that 2000 server the domain controller?

 

[DTracy]

cont...

I think your DNS is dead/disabled/deleted. This would cause excessive login times, the DNS error message, and possibly the election problem.

det

 

[loosingit]

Yes, we have a domain that everyone has to log on to with a user name and password. How would I check for the problems you mentioned?

 

[DTracy]

Are the workstation IP's assigned by a DHCP or are they statically assigned?

 

[loosingit]

I assign them at the workstation

 

[Coorisnar]

loosingit

Had the same problem in setting up a Win2k3 network, and then restested the scenario on a Win2k network.

Workstations would log on fine, but would take 5-15 minutes to do so.

Check you IP configurations for each station. Your primary DNS should be your server (domain controller) that you are trying to log on to.

Once changed on my networks, the logon time dropped to about 30 secs.

As far as you IP conflict problem - where the warning is saying that the IP address is already in use on the network: Once you get your stations on the domain, you'll need to reboot each one, till it comes up with the error. Basically in your static IP assignments on the stations, you've assigned the same number to two stations.

 

[loosingit]

Thanks for all this help from everyone. I was looking at my network setting on my workstation and this is how I have it set up. My ip address is 10.0.0.108, the servers address is 10.0.0.100 and my computer is the one that it says has the same address as the servers although I am not getting that error any more. I have subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 and default gateway of 10.0.0.1, these last two are the same for all computers. The dns is set to: 207.120.28.2 and 207.120.29.6, which our internet provider game us to set on all workstations and the server. The network settings haven't changed for the workstations that I know of (although I will double check). Our domain name is "domain" that everyone logs on to, don't ask me why, was that way when I started working here. I am sorry I am not more knowledgable regarding networking and servers.

 

[technome]

Coorisnar is on the money...
"Your primary DNS should be your server (domain controller) that you are trying to log on to."

"should be your server", Coorisnar means MUST be, if you want fast logins

Your workstations need to contact your server for login authentication, at this point they try to use the DNS servers from your ISP which knows jack about about your AD network.

Place your ISP's IP addresses in the server's DNS MMC, under "properties", the forwarders tab.

Run ...
nslookup
Netdiag /v >c:\netdiag
DcDiag /v >c:\dcdiag

Do yourself a favor and purchase Mark Minasi's "Mastering Windows 2000 Server" by Sybex..has a great DNS section.


........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[loosingit]

Ok, I don't think I have MMC at least the console is empty, remember I am not familiar with all of this and appreciate your help and patience. I did a test and changed the DNS to the server first and the log on was great but no internet, upon looking for the MMC, I can't find anything. Please advise if I should be giving additional information. Also, the setup we have here has worked for over 5 years without the dns being the server.

 

[loosingit]

I added DNS to the MMC but I cannot add anything to the forwarders tab because it says it is not available because the server is a root server.

 

[Coorisnar]

loosingit

Not the best way, but effective if you are only running 13 systems:

In the TCP/IP properties, set your Primary DNS on each system to 10.0.0.100 (your server). Set the secondary and subsequent to the DNS addresses given to you by your ISP.

It is not the recommended way of doing it (the recommended way is the one technome suggested), but if you're not used to Server configuration, it is much easier and will get you up and running. You can spend time learning how to change it to the right way once things are running smoother.

The reason that the logon is taking so long is because the request is going to the first DNS in your list on the stations (your ISP DNS). This means that it is polling the whole internet first to try and find your logon server, instead of just your internal LAN. By changing the Primary DNS, you are telling it where to find the logon server. All other requests (ie Internet requests), will not be found on the first DNS and therefore be rejected. Once rejected, Internet requests will automatically try Secondary DNS (which is now the one from your ISP), and your interenet will function fine.

 

[loosingit]

Ok, then what will I do about 13 computers that log on fast but now have no access to the internet? I tried it the way you suggest but no internet doing it this way. Internet is a must for our business. What you say makes sense but it doesn't find the internet unless I have not given it enough time. Will try again.