Can Not Join Windows 2000 Domain, but not sure why.

[wjupcsm]

Background:
2 domains: campus1 & campuslab
2 controllers: academic & labserve (respectively)
both controllers are Win2K

where should I look for a difference in the server config ( that I can fix) that would give the following symptoms.

Any given machine ( Windows 98, 2000pro, XPpro) can be given settings and able to log into/join the campus1 domain.

To ATTEMPT the logging in/joining the campuslab domain, the WINS server setting is changed, and the DNS suffix is changed (for the campuslab configuration) the machine will then NOT join the canpuslab domain.

The 2 domain controllers are in the same subnet, they are in the same hub even, all hardware that could be swapped (patch cables, hub ports, etc.) same results.

Error message comes back saying that the campuslab domain does not exist or can not be contacted. however, there are machines that can connect to this domain. Also have gotten instances of messages indicating DNS problems on attempts to connect. Neither domain controller is running DNS though.

Any ideas on what to compare on the 2 win2k DCs? (registry entries, etc.)

 

[ChicagoTechNet]

not sure the problem. you may need to create trusts between two domians.

Robert Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Windows, Network, Internet, VPN, Routing and How to at

http://www.ms-mvps.com

 

[wjupcsm]

Machines are set up to be either in one domain or another. The only reason I attempted both from the client was to prove that there was nothing wrong client side. So at this point, I don't think we need trusts (since users do not connect to more than one domain and there are no resources shared across the domains)

This problem is not new, the campuslab domain has done this since inception, but we never knew it was a problem with that specific domain until we set up this second one that worked. Unfortunately we can't take the Labserve machine down and rebuild it, because we have nothing to replace it with while it's down.

 

[Claudek]

What DNS are your machines pointing to? In a situation such as yours where you want to join a machine to a particular domain, I would have put in the IP address of the DNS server that held the SRV records for the domain I wanted to join in the workstation.




Claudius (What certifications??)

http://www.iteq.com.au

 

[wjupcsm]

All our machines are pointing to a Solaris system for DNS. While not a problem to request a modification of the config on that DNS machine (with the networking dept.) I would need to know what I'm asking for. This is the first I've run across the need to know what an SRV record is and how to modify it. Are you saying the DNS SRV record is not identifying with the campuslab domain, but it is set up correctly for the campus1 domain?

 

[wjupcsm]

UPDATE:

Claudek's post prompted me to request from the DNS server Admin a listing of all config entries related to both Academic, LabServe, and their respective domains. His reply was: There aren't any for either. There is no reference in any of the routers, switches, or DNS machines to my two domains, yet, machines can cross IP class find and connect to campus1 domain (Academic as the DC) but not the campuslab domain (Labserve the DC). The particular machine we are trying to add to the labserve domain at this time is a Win2K server for the purpose of using Labserve's Active Directory as a reference for an SMS2K3 install that will push to all the machines in the labserve domain. We were recommended to have SMS2K3 on a separate machine from Active Directory for the sole reaon that if/when SMS goes down, it takes Active Directory with is, in addition neither server is able to handle the AD and SMS loads itself. (limited budgets are a pain of their own).

 

[Claudek]

G'day,
Just to let you know why I asked about srv records, have a look at this article which explains it pretty nicely -

http://www.serverwatch.com/tutorials/article.php/1471851

Just to quote a relevant part of it "Windows 2000 uses service records in DNS to locate domain controllers in specific domains, domain controllers in the same site, global catalog servers, key distribution centers, and more"

Another really good read is

http://is-it-true.org/nt/nt2000/atips/atips39.shtml

Claudius (What certifications??)

http://www.iteq.com.au

 

[wjupcsm]

This might be a bad question, but how in the world do I have clients connecting to these machines if there are no DNS records for them, or neither DC is running DNS? Is there any such thing as a domain being 'broadcast' by it's controller. Based on what I read in those articles, nothing should be working - which has really got me perplexed. (I hate 'inheriting' servers).

 

[Claudek]

To be honest, you must have a DNS server(s) somewhere as Active Directory would not have installed eitherwise. Try using the netdiag and dcdiag tools from

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/

and see what you get.

Good luck.



Claudius (What certifications??)

http://www.iteq.com.au