"No Logon Servers" in mixed environment -timing issue

[DanielUK]

I see that a similar thread on the "no logon servers available" error message was discussed this month but I think this is different.

We have a small network, 1 Dell server running Win2k server and 5/6 PC's, two of them running Win2k professional and the rest running windows 98.

After work we backup and shutdown all the machines including the server. Normally when I come in the morning I start the server and switch the machines on pretty soon after. This usually results in the PC's reaching the logon prompts before the server has reached the logon prompt. The win98 machines always logon fine but the win2k machines always give me the "reverting to local profile because no logon servers available to service the request". If I wait, log off/log on, refresh, search for the server etc they still won't acknowledge the prescence of a server. If I reboot then it works.

I've had this problem for quite a while now, I usually circumvent by switching server and win98 machines on and then switching the win2k machines on only when the server is at logon prompt -they always logon then.

What could this be? I can understand the server not having loaded the relevant services but surely I should then be able to logon once the server has reached login, without rebooting the workstation? Or is this normal behaviour?

Thanks

Dan

 

[micronmega]

Probably has to do with the netlogon service being started on the server before the win2k boxes. Msoft has admitted that not all the services are loaded and running when the logon box first appears. You can test and verify this by stopping and starting the netlogon service on the workstations. This is normal, once a machine boots thinking there are no domain servers it will stay that way till another reboot.

Unless there is some compelling reason not to, you could leave the server running, it's built for that. Or continue to do what you are doing in starting up the win2k boxes after the server is up.

 

[DanielUK]

Thanks again Micronmega, I'll check that out and let you know.


Thanks

Dan

 

[DanielUK]

This morning I switched everything on at once and like I said, the wn2k machines refused to see the server. Start/Stopping netlogon as local administrator on the worksations didn't work either, I ultimately had to reboot. So I guess it's leave the server on or wait for the server to laod before starting the Win2k workstations.

Thanks

Dan

 

[thebassplayer]

for the sake of you harddrives in the server leave it switch on anyway. Most failures occur on power down and up.

thebassplayer (MCSE, MCT)