Strange NT Server Issue

[freaktechnique]

I've just added a new Nt4.0 server to my domain. It's a standalone server that is having no trouble joining the domain and all services are running but in Server Manager it does not show up as a server. To see it I have to view All and the description comes up as "Windows NT Workstation or Server". So SrvMgr evidently can't figure out what it is exactly. I reinstalled Network Services and Sp6a on the server, disjoined and rejoined the domain and nothing is changing the status. The Server service is running and Exchange is running properly.

I've never had this happen before and although it isn't affecting services or functionality I want to fix it.

Any help, ideas would be excellent.

Thanks

 

[zoeythecat]

When you install a Stand Alone Server this is exactly how it displays in Server Manager. There is nothing to fix. Server Manager sees it as a Server. When you view only servers you will not see it because the Server list only displays the Primary and the Backup Domain Controllers.

 

[freaktechnique]

Really?

Server Manager here shows 52 of the 53 servers on the domain and states whether it is Primary, Backup or Server under view servers. The only one that doesn't show up is this Exchange Server.

 

[zoeythecat]

Really? That is strange. This is true. You will see Primary, Backup or Server. But i'm sure if you did a view all you will probably see this listed here as a workstation. One possibility is if you have a Wins Server you need to make sure this computer name has a record in WINS. Perhaps Server Manager is not seeing this on the network as a server which could just simply be because of name resolution. Maybe you need to do a NBTSTAT -RR on the server in question. Recheck your IP Address settings and again if you use WIns make sure you have the IP Address of the Wins server entered correctly. Just another question though. Are you saying you have several stand alone servers on your network and they all show up in Server Manager as "Server"?

Hope this helps.

 

[freaktechnique]

I may have inadvertently used the wrong term here. I added this server as a member, the same install as all my other exchange servers.

That's the problem, the server shows in Srvmgr as TYPE "Windows NT Workstation or Server" but only when viewing all not when the list is filtered to servers.

Yeah, I only have 3 DCs, all the rest are members and all the rest show as TYPE "Server" in Srvmgr.

WINS resolution is working as I can ping by name, connect by name, run backups as restores over the network and it is showing up in Srvmgr.

Thank's for the input, this problem is puzzling me.

 

[comtec17]

Have you tried removing the server from the domain and then add it back in? I have ran into simular issues and it ended up being a SID problem. By removing the machine from the Domain and then adding it back in, it cleared up.

 

[rdroske]

Member servers definitely should show up in Server Manager as NT 4.0 Server.

However just because the name is resolving does not mean that WINS is working as it should. Could be getting done by Broadcast, host file etc or there could be some other problem with its WINS registry.

Compare this servers entries in the WINS database to the entries for your other member servers that are working correctly.

 

[freaktechnique]

Okay, I brought the server down, removed the WINS entries (although they appeared the same as all the other exchange servers) and removed the computer account from Server Manager (checked all the DCs and it was gone).

Then re-added it to the domain and it came back the same way.

The exact same services are running on all the exchange boxes so unless the install went quietly amiss I don't know what's going on.