no DNS server installed !!

[zxmax]

Greeting all, i just took over someone , to maintaine a 2000 server, first thing i've noticed that the previous person, had no DNS server installed, The server is acting as a domain controller, in the even log, there is lots and lots of "NetLogon" error ,

The server keep crashing (totally freezes, and forced to restart by hitting the restart button , mouse not moving, nor the keybaord) almost every second day.

First question i have, is it possible to NOT to have DNS server installed ? shoudl i installed it ? and do you think that got anything to do with the crashing ?

Thanks for any inputs or suggestions,

 

[mlichstein]

Yes it is possible not to have a DNS server installed on this machine. You should check ipconfig /all (if you can) to see if the server is pointed at some other DNS server.

It is also entirely possible to remove the DNS server service after you DC promo the server. Or you could just delete the forward lookup zone. This will obviously break everything, but there isn't anything preventing you from doing it.

 

[zxmax]

The DNS is used is the ISP DNS,

is that a good configuration, of not having DNS server ?

 

[mlichstein]

Pointing the server to the ISP is a bad configuration. In fact, that will not work.

The best plan here is to install the DNS service on the machine, configure the forward lookup zone, make sure dynamic updates are on, and point the server to itself for DNS.