Strange DNS Problem ?

[RecLambyUK]

I use Windows 2000 SP4 connected to our business Domain. I have a drive mapped to one of our file servers and can use it fine. After a while (could be hours, could be days) when i click on the drive it gives me an error saying the local device name is already in use. Then I try and ping the server name but it does not resolve, just returns an unknown host. This happens for all names on the network, however i can still ping all their ip addressess (ruling out a connectivity issue). I am the only person having this issue which i believe rules out any server side errors, and the problem is fixed if i reboot my machine. Any ideas ??

 

[aznluvsmc]

Did you verify the DNS server is working properly when this problem occurs?

Next time it does that, open a command prompt and type ipconfig /flushdns and then try accessing the drive. If that works, then it's a DNS problem, if that doesn't work, then it might not be a DNS problem.

Does this only happen on your computer?

Steven S.
MCSA
A+, Network+, Server+, i-Net+

 

[GlenJohnson]

A few thoughts. 1)Check your local log files. See what they show. 2)When it happens, (Losing connectivity), instead of re-booting try ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew. 3)Since you are the only one with the problem, what are the other os's? Good luck.

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

TTinChicago
Johnson Computers

 

[aznluvsmc]

Don't know how I missed the part about being the only person experiencing the problem. Probably brain lag from work..

Steven S.
MCSA
A+, Network+, Server+, i-Net+

 

[GlenJohnson]

Steve, brain lag is a by product of working on pc's. If you don't have it, you're not a techie.



Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

TTinChicago
Johnson Computers

 

[RecLambyUK]

I have checked the logs on both my machine and the server machine and there is nothing in either. The DNS server is working fine for everybody else like i said. Everyone uses win 2K, i will try flushing the dns next time

 

[RecLambyUK]

Problem just happened again so as suggested tried dnsflush. Nothing changed, so i then tried ipconfig /release to which i got the message

"Error: No adapters bound to TCP/IP are enabled for DHCP"

I have a fixed ip address on my machine and dont actually use DHCP ?

 

[ricpinto]

Have you check loose LAN cable connection or tried relacing network card?

 

[RecLambyUK]

It is definitely not an issue with reseating the card or a loose cable. I still have full network functionality while i am having this problem (apart from resolving names, obviously !!)

 

[GlenJohnson]

When you have the problem, try an ipconfig /all. Also, try a trace rt to the server.

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

TTinChicago
Johnson Computers

 

[RecLambyUK]

Happened again this morning and i copied the following from a tracert and a ping to the same server

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>tracert 3.1.6.238

Tracing route to COVENTRY [3.1.6.238]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <10 ms * <10 ms 3.1.8.251
2 266 ms 156 ms 266 ms 10.1.28.2
3 266 ms 140 ms 266 ms COVENTRY [3.1.6.238]

Trace complete.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ping coventry
Unknown host coventry.

So I can tracert the server but cannot ping it ??

 

[aznluvsmc]

Your tracert and ping are not really the same. When you ran tracert, you were specifying an IP address and when you pinged you specified the hostname. Try pinging the IP and see if it works. Then try pinging the hostname to see if it works. If only the IP address works then there is either a problem with the DNS server or your computer has a problem with communication to the DNS server.

If all else fails, you're looking at the inevitable reformat.

Steven S.
MCSA
A+, Network+, Server+, i-Net+, Security+

 

[aznluvsmc]

Since you also used static entries, verify your DNS server settings. How many DNS servers is your computer configured to use? If it's more than one, then perhaps maybe a particular DNS server is incorrectly configured? It's a high possibility.

Steven S.
MCSA
A+, Network+, Server+, i-Net+, Security+

 

[Shekinah]

I have had a similar problem. This is what I found - but only try this if you have the administrative right to re-map and connect the drive. Disconnect the drive. This now allowed me to ping successfully by host name. I could also now connect by using the UNC via run which I couldn't before. I have applied the most recent microsoft updates and it seems to have helped. This may seem a silly question but did this happen shortly after an update from our microsoft friends?

 

[RecLambyUK]

I cant recall exactly when it started to happen. I know my machine has every available windows update installed.

The DNS server works correctly and it serves about 250 other PC's all which function correctly. This is what makes me point at my machine.

 

[aznluvsmc]

If anything, it might just have to be reformatted.

_______________
Doing IT Right!

 

[GlenJohnson]

If anything, it might just have to be reformatted

This is the last thing we need to do. There will be an awnser come up which will not require this.

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.
TTinChicago
Johnson Computer Consulting

 

[psasu]

It appears there was no connection between your server and the workstatios.Pls check the date it happened and if you have not deleted the informaton in your system log in the event viewer, check the event id and look out for full explanation from Microsoft support and it will give you idea of what happened.
Anyway, do you have 2 domain controllers?

 

[didocus]

Hi!
There are a couple of ways to start troubleshooting that problem.
1. It could be a corrupted TCP/IP stack. It would take you a couple of minutes and two rebootes to uninstall TCP/IP and install it.
2. It could be a bad cable or port on the switch. You can ping the IP (layer 3 ICMP) but the uper layer protocols can be affected providing weird results like some protocols working fine and other not at all. The easiest thing to do is to switch the card for a while to 10Half. If it works fine, try replacing the cable or changing the port on the switch.
3. Last thing is changing the driver and eventually the card.

Didocus