Problem Joining Domain.

[TCouch]

Well, It seems I've got a big problem. It seems that I can't join any computers to the domain. Those that are already joined, don't seem to have any other issue than the user cannot change thier passwords. But we've just replaced two computers with new ones and I can't get them on the domain. Here is what happens.

I have a computer called "ACCOUNTING" and there is an account for both the computer and the user on our PDC. This computer is being replaced. So, the old one gets taken down, and off the network. The new one gets setup, and plugged in. I name it ACCOUNTING as well. I then try to join the domain. It asks me for a username and password. I give it the username and password of the user that is using this computer. It reports back that there is already an account for this user on the Domain. (So far so good)

It asks me if I want to use this account. I tell it yes. It then wants the username, password, and domain of someone that has authorization to join a domian. (everything going as expected so far).

I give it the username for the administrator account, and password. I also give it the domain name. At this point, I get this lovely error message that it can't join the domain because the "Network Name Cannot Be Found."

I am getting really frustrated with this. I've not had any Network Administration training, and managed to get the server up as a PDC, running DNS and DHCP by reading forums, but this problem is well beyond what I know.

Timothy N. Couch

 

[Prydonian]

TCouch;

Is NetBios running on the workstation?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329866

Are the TCP/IP properties pointing to the correct IP address for your DNS server?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;269264

If you're running DHCP, check the address assignment. Open a CMD window and type IPCONFIG/ALL and confirm the PC is getting an address.

If you're not running DHCP, make sure the IP address assigned is in the same subnet as your server running AD and that the subnet mask is correct for the IP class you're using.

Let us know what happens!

Mike, The IT Guy




Life is too short to drink warm beer....

 

[gavm99]

Have you tried using the Active Directory domain name to join?

For example: domain.local

Have you tried using the Netbios name?

For example: domainname_domain

If neither of these work I would check the DNS settings on the machine - does it match you old machine?

Hope this helps.

 

[overcast32]

Did you try a different name, just to see if it could join?

I've ran into a similiar issue - almost the same. Find the computer account in active directory - and delete it. It should create a new one when you attempt to join the domain again.

 

[TCouch]

Well, I actually got this resolved about 3 hours after I posted, and was so frustrated with messing with it that I went home for the day. But here is the results as to what fixed it. Why it fixed it, I can only guess.

I ran Windows Update on the server and downloaded all the new criticals. The Server asked for a reboot, and after it came back online, I could then join machines to the Domain.

Sounds kind of strange, but it's working now. It was a strange issue. It worked when I initially set up the server, then it just stopper working. Probably because the Server did an update and was never rebooted after it.

Timothy N. Couch

 

[BenyG]

I had a very similar issue to this when using the Netbios name of the domain only. When I typed in the FQDN it worked fine.

Local firewalls can also cause this issue - check that machines have not been put on SP2 as with this it is enabled by default.

Benjamin