Join Domain - The RPC Server is Unavailable

[CTIEng2004]

Say what? My Windows 2000 clients can join the domain no problem. My Windows XP Pro SP1 gets dreaded error "The RPC Server is unavailable".

Note: DNS server is working, I can resolve its address via NSLOOKUP, browser the Internet, etc. In my LAN, the only DNS is my DNS, it is ALWAYS specfied as the Preferred DNS. I do not use WINS, and get DHCP from my Linksys BEFSR81 router.

RPC Locator and Client - I have validated they are running on my XP Pro box. They are running as well on the 2K Server, SP4.

This problem surfaced as a result of a Server rebuild and load. But as I said, the only system giving my greif out of my 4 workstations is the XP Pro one. In the infamous words of Jim Carey in Liar Liar "Why, Oh Why?"

Any ideas on how to resolve this problem will be greatly appreciated !!!! Thanks

 

[ravashaak]

CTIEng2004,

Under TCP/IP properties for your LAN connection on the XP client, try filling the checkbox labelled "register this connection's addresses in DNS". Also make sure the DNS suffix section is completed. Reboot and try joining again.

If the above does not work, try right-clicking "my computer", then "properties", then "computer name" tab, then the "change" button, and last the "more" button. Here, fill in the primary DNS suffix. Reboot and attempt a join.

There could of course be other causes, but I hope this helps.

 

[bcastner]

It is RPCSS on the server that is likely not running, but see:

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul.../kb/articles/q224/3/70.asp&NoWebContent=1

 

[TimRegester]

I have seen similar issues, there seems to be difficulties getting an XP Pro client to join the domain under AD on w2k3 server. I have created computer accounts in an OU and the computer account fails to join because the account already exists, the solution is remove the computer object and it joins as a domain computer then move the computer to the OU or rename it to a made up computer name, it joins then rename it to the original and hey presto it works. Yet sometimes it will join with no problem.

There seems to be no logic to it, I know the computer names are unique so it should, following DNS and LDAP rules, work fine. But it sometimes does not.

 

[CTIEng2004]

Thanks to every one for the tips but alas still no Join. So I wanted to pass on my update after a long evening. Using Microsoft's Support Tools 'nltest', 'netdom' and 'ldp' you can peform a fair bit a diagnostic work; especially if you have taken on a quest like me. I can now confidently know that:

1) DNS connection is working and verified by test results
2) LDAP connection is working and verified by test results
3) RPC Server and Client are both running on both W2K Server and the XP Pro client.

The real mystery stems from the lack of Event Log messages concerning my problem. Hence I am left try to hypothesize about the nature of XP Pro.

Still if you have encountered such a problem before and found the solution, please let me know. Thanks in advance.
p.s. One thing for sure - I WILL post how this sucker got fixed to help any other poor souls.

 

[TimRegester]

I was using Server w2k3 and the event log had numerous entries relating to the PC trying to join the domain, but the detail was not there thus there was no explanation at all as to why it failed. Which was nice.

 

[bcastner]

Make sure you are not blocking port 135.

 

[TimRegester]

There is a hardware firewall external to the LAN and no internal firewalls at all so this is unlikely. Anyway this issue is seemingly random, it will occur on one PC where another PC with the same hardware, same build and same network switch will not have the same issue. This erratic behaviour should not of course happen but does.

It will probably be solved when AD becomes more mature, NDS took several versions to work consistently except for printing which is still a dogs dinner.

Ironically the server is very stable with no serious errors and works very well, I am still unconvinced by AD too many things seem too difficult and poorly documented while really obvious functionality that NDS has had for years is missing.