WinXP client fails to join domain with error "network path not found"

[jet042]

I've been trying to add an HP laptop running Windows XP Pro to my Win2K3 Server SP2 domain with no luck so far. After changing the name and clicking OK, it asks me for a name and password to add the machine and I use the domain admin. That goes away and then it pops up a message that says:

"The computer could not be added to the domain. Network path not found."

I'm trying add using the FQDN since I don't have WINS running on the server. I have a DHCP class C subnet with the DNS server running on the DC (at a static IP outside of the DHCP range but inside the subnet). I can ping the DC both by IP address and by name. I can ping the domain name (it resolves to the server's IP). I've checked the DNS server settings both with "ipconfig /all" and with "nslookup." I've manually synced the time between the server and the workstation. I've disabled Windows firewall. I've checked that the IPC$ share is up on the server. I've stopped and re-started the "TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper" service on the laptop. I've basically done everything that I could find that fixed this for other people and now I'm stuck.

Does anyone have any more suggestions?

 

[frankcpl]

Just a thought, what type of Antivirus suite are you using. Norton and Mcafee Internet security suites have a firewall and they will block you from joining as well.

 

[jet042]

We use McAfee, but it hasn't stopped us from adding other machines to the domain. Only this laptop is having issues.

 

[58sniper]

I'm trying add using the FQDN since I don't have WINS running on the server.

You don't need WINS.

Trying stopping the AV services. Any other 3rd party apps installed?

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[itsp1965]

Check to make sure that there is no computer account already on the domain for this machine. Try renaming the machine and from there try re-adding using the NetBIOS name for the domain. Hope this helps.

 

[jet042]

No other apps are running, but I have not tried stopping the AV software yet.

There is not an existing record for the machine on the domain controller.

 

[jet042]

Stopping the AV software did not help either. Any more suggestions?

 

[kmills]

Jet042,

Itsp1965's solution works for us. Rename the computer. Let it jump through its hoops including a reboot. Then join the domain. Trying to do both things at once sometimes causes problems, don't know why.

Good luck.

 

[jet042]

Re-naming the computer did not help. I think I'm to the point where a re-image is in order. Thanks for all your help.

 

[jet042]

It turned out that there was a bad sector on the hard drive that was apparently causing the problem. I nuked the drive and ran a check-disk on it, then re-installed the OS and it worked fine.

Thanks again for all your suggestions. I'm sure at least one of them would have worked if it had actually been a software issue instead of a hardware one.