PC has lost the domain !

[juliaatpcgp]

I've just come across an error message when trying to fix a problem with one our existing domain laptops running Windows XP Pro. It's been running perfectly for years - until today.

It had the main shared folders listed in My Computer and was set up for 2 of our network printers. Today, they are gone and I cannot browse the network to re-add them - when I try I just get a blank screen. I can still log Outlook 2000 onto the Exchange server though.

It was suggested to try re-typing the domain name into the relevant Control Panel box - but I get the same error message about not being able to contact the domain even though I have typed in the Administrator user name and password to add the PC to the SIMPLY domain.

I am getting this same message when I try to add a donated Windows 2000 laptop to our domain (previously not on a domain).

All of my other Windows XP computers and laptops are running fine, so I compared the DNS settings on them with the Windows XP laptop that's just started playing up and they are identical.

Can you help me ?

Regards,
Julia

 

[ArizonaGeek]

I can help you get them back on the domain but cant explain the cause. It has happened to me a couple of times and after hours of troubleshooting I am no closer for an explanation than I was when I started.

To fix it add the PC to a workgroup, any workgroup it doesnt matter. Don't use a password when you add it. Reboot the PC as requested. When it comes back up add it back just add it back to the domain and it should add it no problem.

One thing I've been doing is before adding it back to the domain (and after I add it to a workgroup) is to remove any entry you can find on your DC, remove it from AD, DNS, and DHCP.

Like I said I've tried all kinds of troubleshooting and I thought I narrowed it down to a SID problem but after I changed a SID on a laptop user it happened again. It seems to be very random but I have two users, when it happens to one it happens to the other. Thats why I thought SID but nope. PC names are different and it just seems to happen out of the blue.

Good luck...

Cheers
Rob

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[juliaatpcgp]

I will give that a try tomorrow on this XP machine which is currently on the domain but not seeing the shared resources.

If it works, that'd be super. Then all I have to do is work out why I'm getting the same error message on a Windows 2000 laptop I've been given that's currently on a workgroup called aurelie and I'm trying to add it to our domain ....