Can't join Win XP Pro to Win Server 2003 domain

[ThirdRowBack]

For learning and testing, I have a Windows 2003 Server. At one time, I had two PCs connected to the domain. Both run Win XP Pro, one with SP2. I disconnected them from the domain to do some Workgroup testing. Since then, I changed the network subnet address. I deleted the computers from AD and DNS. When I try to connect either to the domain, I get "The RPC server is unavailable". When I check ADUC on the server, the computer has been added, is disabled, the Operating System info for the computer is blank, but it does appear to be a member of the domain. RPC is running on all computers. In fact, all options to start, stop, pause, etc are disabled. I also turned off the Firewall on the XP machines. No success. However, I have successfully joined a PC running Win2K to the domain. This leads me to think something is wrong with XP. Does anyone have a solution???

 

[JBruyet]

Try changing the name of the XP workstation (making sure it's set to join a workgroup and not the domain), reboot, and then try to join the domain. That's worked for me in the past.

My two cents worth,

Joe Brouillette

 

[ThirdRowBack]

Thanks. I changed the name, dropped shields (disabled firewall), synched the time, and was still unsuccessful. I also tried another XP machine that had never been on the domain and had the same, unsuccessful, results. Any other suggestions?

 

[JBruyet]

You might try running DCDIAG on the domain server to make sure that it's not a configuration error on the server somewhere.

Maybe,

Joe Brouillette

 

[BadFrog]

In AD you need to add the workstation name before the machine can join the domain. From AD users and computers go to your workstations folder and right click, then select new, then computer, then type the computer name in the computer name field, next, next, finish. Then try adding to the domain.

"Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy"
Albert Einstein

 

[linney]

Did you try using the Network Identification Wizard from XP to join the Domain?

 

[ThirdRowBack]

Thanks guys, I followed your suggestions, but still no success. Dcdiag suggested that I static the server IP address. It was DHCPed. I static'ed it but got same unsuccessful results. ????

 

[BadFrog]

Give this a try:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;224370

"Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy"
Albert Einstein

 

[ThirdRowBack]

Thanks, BadFrog. I ran the dcdiag and there were a few things to clean up in the DC. I still cannot start or stop the RPC - the options are grayed out, it is set for AutoStart and I cannot change that either. This is the result of the cmd line:
[tt]
C:\>net stop rpcss
The requested pause or stop is not valid for this service.

C:\>net start rpcss
The requested service has already been started.
[/tt]
I can ping by name either direction. I can see the XP from the server, and the server from the XP, in Network Places, and can Remote Desktop to the XP from the server. But I still cannot connect to the domain. Win2k ok, WinXP no. ????

 

[ThirdRowBack]

Microsoft support was no help and I can't afford their $$$$ support. I tried several other things without success. The latest attempt, I changed the name of the computer at the same time I tried to join the domain. I successfully joined the domain, but got the following msg:
The following error occured attempting to change the computer name to "surrogate1": (The domain "heimat" was joined under the old computer name "sydney3") RPC server is unavailable.

ADUC on the server shows the computer joined with the new name, the PC shows the old name. I rebooted the XP and when asked to login, the old name was showing, but I have the option to login to a domain. When I clicked the down arrow, it searched for a domain and found it (heimat). However, when I tried to log into the domain, I got "The system cannot log you on now because the domain heimat is not available."

I have all variations of the computer name on the server now and get the same results as above. If I try to simply rename the XP, I get user name not found when I use a valid admin on the server. If I use a phoney name, I get Access denied. If I use a user on the XP, I get bad name and Password. I am at the point of reloading Server 2003. Any suggestions before I take such a drastic step?

 

[jpm121]

And you did manually remove the workstation from the domain, right? Under AD Users & Computers, go into Computers and make sure there's no entries there for any workstations.

Also, can you post what IP addresses you're using on the server and workstations? I'm a bit nervous that you've changed too much at once and perhaps overlooked something obvious like that.

 

[ThirdRowBack]

I tried with the names removed, and I tried with the workstations manually added in ADUC. Same results. I forgot to state also that I can only rename the workstation if I disjoin from the domain back to workgroup. The IP address for the workstation is DHCP'ed from the router (and throughout has been 192.168.50.101/26) and the server is static 192.168.50.10/26. The old address were on the 192.168.10.x network. I cleaned out entries to that (after join failure) in the DNS entries. I also notice that though I joined the domain, the computer properties in ADUC, Computer Info tab has not information.

 

[ThirdRowBack]

I tried with the names removed, and I tried with the workstations manually added in ADUC. Same results. I forgot to state also that I can only rename the workstation if I disjoin from the domain back to workgroup. The IP address for the workstation is DHCP'ed from the router (and throughout has been 192.168.50.101/26) and the server is static 192.168.50.10/26. The old address were on the 192.168.10.x network. I cleaned out entries to that (after join failure) in the DNS entries. I also notice that though I joined the domain, the computer properties in ADUC, Computer Info tab has no information.

 

[BadFrog]

If you can see the computer in ADUC and it shows as disabled like you said in your original post. What happens if you right click the computer and select, "reset account" then try to add it to the domain?

"Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy"
Albert Einstein

 

[ThirdRowBack]

I get the disabled when it adds it to ADUC, but doesn't successfully join the domain. If I reset it, it appears in ADUC to be enabled, but the workstation still cannot connect to the domain. I have only been "successful" if I make a name change at the same time as I attempt to join. Then the computer shows up in ADUC as enabled, new name, while the workstation shows member of the domain, old name. And I cannot rename the workstation without first getting off the domain and back to a workgroup.

 

[jpm121]

I can't think of anything else to try, it's weird that dcdiag didn't find anything wrong with the security database or something...

Can you scrounge up a laptop or something with XP to try to join the domain? That would tell you immediately if the server is hosed, and if you need to reinstall the OS there or on the workstations.

Sorry we couldn't find a better solution...

 

[ThirdRowBack]

I tried it with a laptop running XP (no SP) that had previously been on the domain way back when, and another PC running XP that had never been on the domain, old or new. Same unsuccessful results. Only Win2K joined with no problems. My next plan is to install a fresh copy of XP on a new harddrive and see if it can join. If it can, I will take it off the domain and start service packing it and updating it and trying to join at intervals to see if at some point it fails.

 

[JBruyet]

Here's one that helped me. Try running NETDIAG /FIX and see if that helps.

FWIW

Joe Brouillette

 

[ThirdRowBack]

I ran the netdiag /v /fix and got two warnings:

[tt]Per interface results:
NetBT name test. . . . . . : Passed
:
..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP REGISTERED
[WARNING] At least one of the <00> 'WorkStation Service', <03> 'Messenger Service', <20> 'WINS' names is missing.

NetBios Resolution : via DHCP

Global results:
NetBT name test. . . . . . . . . . : Passed
No NetBT scope defined
[WARNING] You don't have a single interface with the <00> 'WorkStation Service', <03> 'Messenger Service', <20> 'WINS' names defined.[/tt]

I discovered that the XP PC had the workstation service disabled. I started the service and reran netdiag and got the following differences:

[tt]Per interface results:
NetBT name test. . . . . . : Passed
:
..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP REGISTERED
SERVER2003 <03> UNIQUE REGISTERED
ADMINISTRATOR <03> UNIQUE REGISTERED

NetBios Resolution : via DHCP


Global results:
NetBT name test. . . . . . . . . . : Passed
No NetBT scope defined

PASS - The NetBT is properly configured.
There is at least one interface where the <00> 'WorkStation Service',
<03> 'Messenger Service', <20> 'WINS' names are defined and they are
not in conflict.[/tt]

Unfortunately, it didn't solve the problem of joining/log on to the domain or change the computer name. I welcome any suggestion. Thanks for all the help so far, I am learning a lot.