Domain in Microsoft Network is not populating?

[NetAdmin2004]

My network started losing PCs in the domain when you go and browse for a PC through Network Places or Network Neighborhood. Everything was fine a few weeks ago, but now all of a sudden, on most of our PCs, there are not hardly any PCs listed. You can search for them and find them and still access them okay, but in the network browsing, they just are not there anymore. Any help is greatly appreciated! I have never seen such a thing before.......

 

[bcastner]

You need to be clearer about your Domain organization; and in particular how Netbios naming is handled: is it strictly DNS-based, WINS, LMHOSTS, or broadcast?

 

[bcastner]

One good first place to look for clues is forum member Bob Linn's ChicagoTech site. See under the Troubleshooting section the 'Browser Issues' subsection:

http://www.chicagotech.net/

 

[NetAdmin2004]

Okay, sorry we are running DNS only and no WINS. Our PDC is the Primary DNS. I will also look at the chicagotech.net site. Thanks for the info....

 

[bcastner]

Your primary (and only) workstation DNS entry should be the Domain DNS server and not the PDC. If the PDC is to also be the DNS server it requires a second network adapter isolated from the WAN connections of the Domain and the interernet. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=260362

The process by which domain controllers are then found on the WAN requires careful configuration of the DNS server records to ensure that the clients receive the optomal DC for their subnet, and that efforts to resolve Netbios/DNS names is not directed to external DNS servers. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314861

The key issue is ensuring that dynamic DNS registration by client workstations works smoothly; and that the workstations are not inadvertantly pointing to an ISPs external DNS servers instead of the Domain DNS server.

 

[NetAdmin2004]

Well, everything is configured properly, but still no go. I noiticed that now all of my PCs just dissappear from network browsing. It is really weird..... They start to just one by one dissappear..... Any ideas?

 

[bcastner]

For Win2k and XP clients use Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services, and stop the Computer Browser service. Set its startup desposition to disabled.

Reboot all Win2k and XP machines.

In addition:

Be certain for these XP or Win2k clients that all of the needed services are starting without error. My gut instinct tells me that RPC or Workstation or Server services are failing due to a worm, Welchia as a guess.

If you find in the Event Viewer logs that any of these services have been stopped: RPC, Workstation, Server, Print Spooler, DNS, or DHCP then you have a worm. Welchia as a guess, but some malware that spreads through a LAN is strongly suggested as the reason for these failures.

You can take a "bad" workstation and test it with online antivirus scanners (Use both Trend Micro and Panda) from smah's FAQ: faq760-3862

 

[NetAdmin2004]

Okay sounds good, thanks again for the information. I will see what I find.....

 

[NetAdmin2004]

Actually I figured this one out..... I had problems with WINS and DNS running on my DC. Someone screwed up the settings so my remote sites would not populate. Thanks for the help though and suggestions.....