Workstation cannot join Domain 1

[alguzman]

HELP!!!

I set up a small network of 10 workstations, all windows 2kPro, and one Windows 2K Pro Advanced Server. The server has two NIC cards installed one for the private network and the other for the DSL connection. Private network is using the 10.0.0.X subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 static IPs. The second NIC has the DSL router on it and setup with a static IP given to us by the ISP (ISP gave us 15 IP addresses). I set up NAT to share the DSL line and put in the other 14 IP address in the NAT scope.

All nine workstations are accessing the server and the internet but one. This one workstation cannot join the domain. The exact error I get is "The following error occurred attempting to join the domain"MyDomainName": The network name cannot be found.

Now I double check the server and made sure my account is there, it is. I then created a computer account for myself. I also went into DNS and made a host file in forward lookup zone, and a pointer file in the reverse lookup zone. My attempt to join the domain failed with the same error. I made sure that netmak ordering and round robin were enabled and they are, Dynamic update on the DNS is enabled as well. No luck, still cannot join domain.

Next I uninstalled my NIC card and reinstalled it. Entered my static TCP/IP information in again. No luck, same error.

Went back to server and stoped netlogon service and restarted and then rebooted the server. No luck.

From my workstation I can ping the server by IP and by name, I can ping other user's machines. I can browse to other computers and I have access to the internet. I can even log on to the other machines using my username and password that I set up on the server. I just cannot join the domain.

Please any help would be greatly appreciated.

Al Guzman

 

[Stevehewitt]

So you can ping the server and the server can ping you? Try to see if you can Terminal Service it or browse a file share on the server. Try resetting the computer account in AD. Is there any more specific messages in Event Viewer?

Steve Hewitt
Systems Manager

 

[Superfanatic]

I had this problem and I hope this will work for you. I found that if I disjoined and joined a work group (I simply used the old WORKGROUP name) and joined that. Then after restarting as a part of WORKGROUP, I attempted to rejoin the domain and it has worked more than 5x's. I simply used the Server's Admin ID and password and it allowed me to join the domain. I'm sure you probably tried this already, I just wanted to let you know it has worked for me.

 

[alguzman]

I din not try to ping my machine from the server but will do that now.

Superfanatic: Tried that and no luck. Thanks.

 

[ITMax]

Follow superfanatic's advice .. there are a couple reasons why you wouldnt be able to join the domain,

the first would be DNS related, the second would be that you need to create a trust relationship with an account that has the authority to create that trust (administrator)

the second one generally is the most common, you may have to change the workstations name .. from wha tit currently is to some other form i.e. wks1-username to wks1-w2k-user if you stil lhave problems.

wavescg

 

[alguzman]

I can ping the workstation's IP address form the server by name and IP address.

I will try it again to disjoin the workgroup and join again and see if it works this time.

 

[GiaBetiu]

Al,
ping <machine_name> is not enough. Is not saying that DNS is working.
Try ping with fully qualified domain name. That will giveyou a ping that will use DNS (if you don't have it already in hosts file).
so try for example: ping server1.mydomain.com

What OS is installed on that client computer?
Try nslookup (command prompt/nslookup). See the answer.

Windows2000 is using DNS for name resolution. When you are joining the computer to the domain, the client computer is trying to reach the DNS server. If will not be able to, it will not be able to join the domain.

Also, is possible to have the DNS configured properly, the machine to try to join, but to not succeed. Then, is much more likely a corruption of the computer account. In that case I recomend you recreating of the computer account.


Gia Betiu
gia@almondeyes.net
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, MCSE Win2K
new:

http://www.almondeyes.net

(just started)

 

[alguzman]

GiaBetiu I can ping the FQDN from my workstation which is Windows 2K Pro. I pinged my server using the FQDN and another workstation's FQDN.

I created a computer account before, I had this problem since Thursday, and that didn't seem to work. Maybe I did it wrong. What I did was went into AD users & computers and went to the computer folder. I deleted my computer's name and then recreated a new computer name that I set up on my workstation. That did not work. Did I miss a step here?

 

[GiaBetiu]

What nslookup is saying when you will ask it about the domain name (of course full name of the domain)?
Did you try to join also using NetBIOS name of the domain and also the DNS name?

Gia Betiu
gia@almondeyes.net
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, MCSE Win2K
new:

http://www.almondeyes.net

(just started)

 

[alguzman]

I tried joing in using the netbios name (without the .com) and with the .com. No luck. When I enter in NSLOOKUP in command prompt I see the FQDN of my server and the correct IP address of the server.

I put the network cable together myself, meaning I spliced the wires and added the connectors in. Do you think that could be the problem.

 

[GiaBetiu]

Cabling stuff is on a physical level. If that would be wrong you would not have any connection on higher levels.

But, ok,. you see the answer of a DNS server. But check if is able to find the domain name there. Ask nslookup for the domain name. Asking just for domian you are simulating what the client when you are asking it to find the domain to join.

Gia Betiu
gia@almondeyes.net
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, MCSE Win2K
new:

http://www.almondeyes.net

(just started)

 

[alguzman]

Please let me know how to do this, I'm kinda new to this and have a good feeling for the win2k OS and server OS. I'm still taking classes and pursuing my MCSE. So I apologize for the dumb question.

 

[GiaBetiu]

Ok, we did a nice ping-pong. Better eventually to use a chat. But, anyway, here it is:
suppose that your domain name is: mydomain.com
1. launch nslookup
2. then type mydomain.com and press enter
3. the client will try to resolve the query via DNS.

Have you a VNC viewer there? Maybe I can access your server and see what could be wrong.

Gia Betiu
gia@almondeyes.net
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, MCSE Win2K
new:

http://www.almondeyes.net

(just started)

 

[alguzman]

OK here is what I did. I entered NSLOOKUP and typed in my server's FQDN and it came back with the FQDN of the server and IP address. Then I typed in NESPA.COM (that is my domain name) and it came back with Primary name server - My server's FQDN. Responisble mail addr =admin
Gave me TTL value, retry etc..
It also put my server's IP address as the INternet address the exact line reads = Internet address 10.0.0.1 (that's my sever's address).

 

[alguzman]

When I type in the IP of my server in NSLOOKUP I get:

Server: Server01.nespa.com (server's FQDN)
Addr. 10.0.0.1
***Server01.nespa.com can't find 10.0.0.1: Non-existent domain***

 

[GiaBetiu]

Ok,.. so it seems that the client is solving the domain name.
Have a look in the IP configuration of the client interface. See if you have use NetBIOS over TCP/IP.

Second issue is not an error. Try in nslookup
set type=ptr
and then you can put an IP address. In thatcase it will make a reverse lookup (from IP to name). But this will work just if you have reverse lookup zone defined in your DNS. But, is not important for what you need there.

Gia Betiu
gia@almondeyes.net
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, MCSE Win2K
new:

http://www.almondeyes.net

(just started)

 

[alguzman]

I know that changing the cables would not help, but at this point I will try anything. By the way I did change cables and it did not work..lol.

GiaBetiu did you have anymore helpfull suggestions.

 

[alguzman]

Yes it is set to use NetBIOS over TCP/IP.

 

[alguzman]

Will I run into any major problems if I back up the share files and just reinstall the server. I do not have to reinstall the workstations, right? All I have to do is create the user accounts again and set up NAT. Or it is not that simple?

 

[Davetoo]

Also, try plugging the problem system into a different port on your hub/switch.