XP Machine won't join the domain

[MountainNetworks]

Hi:

Windows 2000 Server, Svcpk 4. Internal LAN is 192.168.x.x. DHCP is controlled by the windows 2000 server.

I am unable to add an XP machine to the domain. From a fresh install of Windows XP Pro, fully service packed, I right mouse click on "My Computer" and select properties. Click the tap for "computer name" and select the radio button for "domain" (taking it out of a workgroup). Type in the name of the domain, and click OK. I'm given the login and password prompt for an account authorized to add the machine to the domain. I enter "administrator" as the login and put the administrator password.

It hourglasses for about 3 minutes, then it errors out saying it can't add the machine, or find the domain, etc. Last time I just left the machine on and it fixed itself when the WINS database populated. This time, it won't work no matter what I do.

Any thoughts?

Thanks...

 

[GuyThomas]

Try just adding the plain netbios domain e.g. mydomain rather than the FQDM mydomain.com.

Check there is not already a machine with the same name in active directory.

Try changing the hostname, then adding to the domain.

Check the DNS settings on the client.

Try ping servername.

Try adding another machine on the same subnet.

 

[sirknight1919]

ok, heres the step by step solution...hope it helps.

1. first ping your server.
if doesnt reply then your server is the problem.
2. ipconfig /release then /renew (to make sure your DHCP works).
if it is okay,
3. check if the default sharing on the server such as C$,IPC$,Admin$ exist. it should be there, create it if not there.

and ofcourse, make sure you use an account that has a right as domain admins.

 

[MountainNetworks]

Thanks for the replies. I usually do the ABC's before posting. Sometimes I forget the obvious, but mostly I've done the basic things before wasting anyone's time ;-)

Having said that...

There is nobody else with the machine name "PAUL-LIU"

Changing the host name doesn't fix the problem.

I've successfully added other machines on the same subnet.

The server can be pinged both by name and by IP.

I didn't think to check the SYSVOL to make sure the C$, etc are there, but that's usually fundamental and there's so much more that wouldn't work if they weren't there, so I'm sure that's ok.

Lastly, I'm sure Administrator has the rights necessary ;-) That's the account I use to add accounts to the domain.

But what I have noticed is that if I look at the machine accounts in active directory, I notice that the "PAUL-LIU" account is disabled. When I enable, after a few minutes it disables itself again. So I know there's some kind of a GPO problem, just not exactly sure what, where or why.