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Servers displayed as Workstations
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- #3
In Server Manager if I do View All, then some Servers are appearing as Servers and some as Workstations, we have WTS/Metaframe Servers displayed as Servers and NT4 Servers where some are display as Servers and some as Workstations, they are all configured with the same Service packs etc.
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- #5
Yeah, I've tried rebooting everything...!!!! It must have something to do with the way the Master browser is interpreting the machine type from each server broadcasting on the network but I dont know what...!!!!! The 2 newest NT4 servers which we have added recently are showing in Server Manager as Servers, so at some point in the past something has happened which has "changed" the servers to Workstations....????!! The functionality of the servers is fine, its just the display in Server Manager...!!!!!
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- #6
There can be a number of reasons for this, like:
1. The computer account passwords may be out of sync. Try removing a server's computer account from the Server Manager and add it back again. Follow the SOPs.
2. Misconfigured WINS replication. If you've multiple WINS servers configured, check to see if their replication is going fine.
3. If you've Resource Kit, there's a utility called 'Browstat'. Use it to check the browser status of the servers, with 'view' option. This will tell you how your servers are advertising their presence. Look for 'MBC' flag in the members servers to confirm their legitimate status.
4. I forgot the fourth one...sorry! just lost my train of thought. Will tell when it comes...
Mubashir
muhammad.mubashir@sbp.org.pk
Imagination is more important than knowledge. - Newton
1. The computer account passwords may be out of sync. Try removing a server's computer account from the Server Manager and add it back again. Follow the SOPs.
2. Misconfigured WINS replication. If you've multiple WINS servers configured, check to see if their replication is going fine.
3. If you've Resource Kit, there's a utility called 'Browstat'. Use it to check the browser status of the servers, with 'view' option. This will tell you how your servers are advertising their presence. Look for 'MBC' flag in the members servers to confirm their legitimate status.
4. I forgot the fourth one...sorry! just lost my train of thought. Will tell when it comes...
Mubashir
muhammad.mubashir@sbp.org.pk
Imagination is more important than knowledge. - Newton
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- #8
Thanks Mubashir!! OK, used browstat /view and had a look at the flag settings, it would appear that the servers displayed as servers have a flag set which is "ss", apparently this means standard server, the servers which appear as workstations dont have this flag set....so the next question is where is this flag generated from???? Is it a registry setting..????
I've been thinking about this all day and I must say it's baffling me.
Yes, there are entries in the registry by which can fiddle with browser service. But the whole process of browser thingy is so automatic that there’s hardly any need for arm-twisting. All one may do once in awhile is to disable or enable a machine’s ability to become master browser on a particular subnet, and that too in larger networks.
There’re a few other things which need to be clarified. Browser service displays it’s output in the Network Neighbourhood, ie, when you browse the network resources on servers.
Server Manager is the computer account database of the domain. When you add a computer on any domain controller or make an NT-based computer join a domain on installation, it shows up in the Server Manager. Note that when you add a computer to a domain, it say “NT workstation or Server”, meaning both the servers and workstations enter the domain through the same door. They adjust accordingly.
I have a feeling that your systems are not lying to you. Your servers are servers and your workstations are workstations. Makes you read twice, doesn’t it?
More on this later. Have a nice weekend.
Mubashir
muhammad.mubashir@sbp.org.pk
Imagination is more important than knowledge. - Newton
Yes, there are entries in the registry by which can fiddle with browser service. But the whole process of browser thingy is so automatic that there’s hardly any need for arm-twisting. All one may do once in awhile is to disable or enable a machine’s ability to become master browser on a particular subnet, and that too in larger networks.
There’re a few other things which need to be clarified. Browser service displays it’s output in the Network Neighbourhood, ie, when you browse the network resources on servers.
Server Manager is the computer account database of the domain. When you add a computer on any domain controller or make an NT-based computer join a domain on installation, it shows up in the Server Manager. Note that when you add a computer to a domain, it say “NT workstation or Server”, meaning both the servers and workstations enter the domain through the same door. They adjust accordingly.
I have a feeling that your systems are not lying to you. Your servers are servers and your workstations are workstations. Makes you read twice, doesn’t it?
More on this later. Have a nice weekend.
Mubashir
muhammad.mubashir@sbp.org.pk
Imagination is more important than knowledge. - Newton
The following MS Knowledge Base article may be what you are looking for: Q122444
Also, the KB article Q197478 shows how to Detect and Remove Inactive Machine Accounts, but in the article it shows some script that shows how a server and a w/s are distinguished.
"Life is full of learning, and then there is wisdom"
Also, the KB article Q197478 shows how to Detect and Remove Inactive Machine Accounts, but in the article it shows some script that shows how a server and a w/s are distinguished.
"Life is full of learning, and then there is wisdom"
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- #11
Thanks Koala, read the articles but it still ain't what I'm looking for. The flag settings from the browser are the only thing I really have to go on....this one is just so annoying...!!!! The only thing I can say is that the servers ARE servers, workstations etc etc....!!! Its definitely only the browser (Server manager) that considers them to be different....it MUST be a registry setting somewhere.......????!!!
There is one interesting "key" setting from your articles Koala....it is HKLM\system\currentcontrolset\services\netlogon\security
Within this there is binary value key - SECURITY, it is a large string, does anyone have any idea what this string refers to???? Does one of these settings refer to the "standard server" flag....?????
Thanks for everyones help so far.........!!!!
There is one interesting "key" setting from your articles Koala....it is HKLM\system\currentcontrolset\services\netlogon\security
Within this there is binary value key - SECURITY, it is a large string, does anyone have any idea what this string refers to???? Does one of these settings refer to the "standard server" flag....?????
Thanks for everyones help so far.........!!!!
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