Server 2003 R2 AD replication issues

[brsexton]

I have a server 2003 R2 machine that is in a domain with 2 server 2000 machines. They are all domain controllers and server 2003 R2 WILL NOT replicate Active Directory with the others. When I try to force replication the error is "the rpc server is unavaliable" this may be caused by DNS lookup problems. Any help at all would be great.

 

[itsp1965]

Have you checked the event logs, run DCDIAG, have you disabled any services (or are any relevant services disabled like the Time Service, NetLogon, Server). Start with these first

 

[brsexton]

All services have been checked and they are all running. DCDIAG failes on the 2003 R2 server saying that it is not responding to dirctory service requests. This is a new server and seems like it only replicated 1 time after it was DCpromoed. We have installed several other server 2003's with server 2000 before, but never any server 2003 R2. Is there something different about R2 that would cause this replication issue? I do have a File replication Event error: (BIES1 is a DC with Server 2000. BIES01 is the DC with Server 2003 R2 that is having the issues.) Below is the ERROR.......

"The File Replication Service is having trouble enabling replication from BIES1 to BIES01 for c:\windows\sysvol\domain using the DNS name bies1.bies.bcps. FRS will keep retrying.
Following are some of the reasons you would see this warning.

[1] FRS can not correctly resolve the DNS name bies1.bies.bcps from this computer.
[2] FRS is not running on bies1.bies.bcps.
[3] The topology information in the Active Directory for this replica has not yet replicated to all the Domain Controllers.

This event log message will appear once per connection, After the problem is fixed you will see another event log message indicating that the connection has been established."

Thank you so much for the quick reply and anymore help you can give.

 

[itsp1965]

Although it shouldn't have let you add the R2 based domain controller.. without doing this.. but.. did you happen to run the DCPROMO /ADPREP and /FORESTPREP on the DC that has the SCHEMA MASTER role since the R2 version has a diff schema version than both standard 2003 and 2000.... just a thought.

 

[brsexton]

Good thought. I did run adprep and forestprep, but it was one we had on a share. I think it's adprep from the standard Server 2003 CD. Would that make a difference? I guess I could try to run the Adprep from the Server 2003 R2 cd.

 

[itsp1965]

the R2 version of the schema is '31' (if I recall) as opposed to '30' for std. I think the new version has to be run from the R2 specific CD (CD-2)

 

[brsexton]

Ok, So I try to run adprep off of the R2 cd and it comes back with a message that says:
Domain-wide information has already been updated. Adprep did not attempt to rerun this operation.

Is there anyway to get the version off of the R2 to run again?

Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[itsp1965]

Check to make sure that the schema has not already been updated as per the KB note

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917385

Also check this one out to see if it applies to you

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324392

 

[brsexton]

Well I checked both of those links you provided and found that Schema version on both 2000 servers is 31. So I don't think that is the problem either. I have requested MS send me that adprep hotfix in the 2nd link, but I don't have much faith that will be the fix either. I am just about at my wits end with this issue. I can't seem to find the problem. I really do appreciate your help with this.

 

[pagy]

This might seem really obvious but;
DNS working properly?? Can BIES01 ping BIES by name??

Paul
MCSE


"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[brsexton]

Yep. It can ping it with no problem.

 

[pytchley]

I take it your FSMO roles are ok

 

[brsexton]

The other 2 DC's are doing the FSMO and GC roles. They seem to be working fine.

To add another twist to the situation, we have the exact same setup at another location with the new 2003 R2 server, 1 standard 2003 sever, and a 2000 server. It is doing the EXACT SAME. AD will not replicate. The Standard 2003 and 2000 replicate just fine. The R2 will not. These both are brand new servers and are having the same issues. This is CRAZY.

 

[itsp1965]

Brsexton, back to what pagy had mentioned regarding DNS and having gone back in the thread in regards to DCDIAG.. Can you check to make sure that the new DC actually has all its appropriate DNS records setup.

 

[pagy]

To expand on itsp1965's post;

In particular make sure that cname and A records exist for your new DC. The cname record should be under the _msdcs folder.



Paul
MCSE


"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[brsexton]

You know, I think we may be getting somewhere now. Just a bit more back ground info: we have a Forest with 23 domains in it. I checked the main DNS server on the forest level and found that the cname of the new DC IS NOT in the _msdcs folder. Which means its not going down to the other DNS servers on each domain. All other DC's are in there. My next question is, how do I add the CNAME? And, where do I add the A host? It looks like the name is a SID or something and I have no idea how to find that out.

 

[pagy]

This might help

How to use DNSLint to troubleshoot Active Directory replication issues

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321046

Paul
MCSE


"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein