Question

Windows XP client cannot join domain

Asked by: Dixie_Dog

I have done all of the simple stuff like checking the tcpip settings.  When I attempt to join the domain I get the message that The network location cannot be reached.  For information about network troubleshooting see windows help.

The network is siimple:

10.0.0.1  D-link router connected to the internet
10.0.0.2 W2K server updated with all updates - this is a domain controller with DNS configured.
10.0.0.3 WXP client - functioning fine
10.0.0.4 WXP client - functioning fine
10.0.0.5 WXP client  that cannot be joined to the domain

I can ping 10.0.0.2 - I can also see the dns server with nslookup
NET BIOS is turned off across the network - no software uses pre w2k functrions or services.
This problem has ben beating me to death - I just cant get this 3rd machine connected to the domain.

HELP

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Asked On
2009-06-12 at 10:47:55ID24487450
Topic

Windows NT Networking

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
18

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Answers

 

by: samieranaPosted on 2009-06-12 at 11:17:23ID: 24614733

Hi,
If you have not tried first then try this:
1. Use Fully domain name connecting it to domain. like domain.com instead of domain.

 

by: wilfriedsPosted on 2009-06-12 at 11:49:27ID: 24614994

Can you map a share on one of the other machines?
Can you browse the other machines in your windows explorer?  Does it see the domain controller?
Did you try creating a host file with the IP address of the server and its alias?
Are the machines all connected to the D-Link router that is acting as a switch internally?  If so, try switching ports on the router.

It can be lots of things I'm afraid.

 

by: Dixie_DogPosted on 2009-06-12 at 13:29:00ID: 24615830

On the domain - i actually tried it both ways.  The full domain name is esm.local.  The shortname would be esm.  Upon running nslookup which was able to recognize the server and the domain, but I had to use the full name esm.local.  I can ping the server - no problem. Ns lookup also reports all of the systems that are in the DNS table of the server.  As for switching ports on the D-link, I ll try it but this is not likely to be the problem since we can access the internet just fine.  All 4 machines are connected to the D-link.  The d-link is used as the gateway configuration - 10.0.0.1 the server is used in the prefered DNS setting 10.0.0.2.  I will try to browse the other computers but keep in mind I cannot join the domain due to this problem.  I know I could probably force a solution by listing the server in a host file, but we trying to make the DNS system work  I have disabled LMhosts and wins on all machines.  The Netbios helper service is also turned off.  I will try to map a shared directory to see if that can be done without being a member of the domain..

 

by: MirfsterPosted on 2009-06-12 at 15:35:45ID: 24616746

Try this on Machine #3:

1) In a CMD window run: ipconfig /flushdns
2) In the same CMD window run: ipconfig /registerdns
3) Then see if you can then join the domain.

BTW, is the server running DHCP or is the DLINK handing out the IP Addresses?

 

by: Dixie_DogPosted on 2009-06-13 at 07:53:10ID: 24619429

ipconfig /flushdns    >  Successfully flushed DNS resolver cache
ipconfig /registerdsn >  Registration of the DNS records for all adapters of this computer has been iniated.  Any errors will be reported in the Event Viewer in 15 minutes

After 15 minutes - no errors in the event viewer.

The server is not running DHCP.
The Dlink is running DHCP,
All addresses on this network are hardcoded.  We chose this method since these computers are in fixed locations that never change.  Adding additional computers or devices to this network can only be done by me.  The wireless radio is turned off on the d-link so that no laptops or cell phones can ride this network.

Mapping network drive
drive L
location \\se-server1\innfinity  : this is a known network share already used by 2 other machines
The mapped network drive could not be created because the following error occurred:
The network location cannot be reached.  For information about network troubleshooting, see Windows Help,

Like that has ever solved anything!

However this did work:
Map Network Drive
drive L
location \\10.0.0.2\innfinity
userid administrator
pwd xxxxx

now exploring drive L which is a directory on the domain controller.

But still getting the same result when I try to join this client to the domain.

 

by: MirfsterPosted on 2009-06-13 at 11:50:18ID: 24620322

Looks to me like there is definately an issue with name resolution since you can map via IP Address and not by Name.

I would recommend running an "ipconfig /all" on both this system and one that does work to ensure all setting are similar (DNS Suffix, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway...).

Also, you could simply rebuild the TCP/IP stack on Machine #3.  This will reset all TCP/IP settings back to their default and from there you can re-assign the Static info.  I have only had to use this on rare occasions where the whole stack was just flaky.

The command is : netsh int ip reset %FileName%, (example: netsh int ip reset C:\MyLog.txt).
**  You have to specify a log file otherwise it will not work.

 

by: wilfriedsPosted on 2009-06-14 at 01:38:41ID: 24622367

What you could also try is to create a host file on the client machine with the ip address and name of the server.  THen try to join the domain.  If successful, delete the host file again (or rather comment out the line you just created).

 

by: Dixie_DogPosted on 2009-06-15 at 06:02:53ID: 24628370

No to the host file idea, I want the DNS system to work like it is supposed to.  Does anyone no which service on the XP client is responsible for querying the DNS server of the domain controller?  Is it possible that the DNS is not confured properly to report the presence of a domain-controller?

 

by: samieranaPosted on 2009-06-15 at 06:23:33ID: 24628516

HI,
Check if DNS Client Service is running on XP. and check if you can get response from your domain controller using this command:
nslookup> domain.com

 

by: wilfriedsPosted on 2009-06-15 at 07:03:06ID: 24628891


The DNS server is of course queried by your IP stack. I don't think DNS has anything to do per se with reporting the presence of a domain controller.  DNS is IP and domain controller is purely Microsoft.
Since your other machines can resolve hostnames and only this one cannot, I can think of only two things :
- is your client multihomed (is there e.g. a wireless NIC too that may be incorrectly configured)?
- remove and reinstall the NIC driver and the IP stack.

 

by: samieranaPosted on 2009-06-15 at 07:50:59ID: 24629416

While he is using DNS Server and Domain Controller, it means his client will try to get SRV record from DNS and then using that record it will try to connect to Domain Controller.

 

by: Dixie_DogPosted on 2009-06-15 at 08:32:54ID: 24629891

Tell me more about this SRV record? and the client only has 1 NIC card.  I will try the NSLOOKUP reccommended earlier when I arrive at the property later today.

 

by: Dixie_DogPosted on 2009-06-15 at 11:49:34ID: 24631738

On the XP client:

ipconfig /all
Host Name : esm-ws3
Primary Dns Suffix :  [blank]
Node Type : mixed
WNS proxy Enabled : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection specific DNS suffix : [blank]
Description : LNE --- stuff
Physical address: 00-a0-cc-30-4e-9c
Ip address : 10.0.0.5
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 0.0.0.1
DNS Servers : 10.0.0.2
NetBIOS over TCPIP : disabled

I checked for a DNS service on the client and I found one called "DNS Client" that was started and configured to start automatically.  It depends on the TCP/IP protocol driver.  I do not know how to check for the presence of this driver.

From the command line > nslookup
Default Server : se-server1.esm.local  : this is the name of the domain controller.
Address: 10.0.0.2
> domain.com
Server: se-server1.esm.local
Address: 10.0.0.2

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds
*** Request to se-server1.esm.local timed-out.
>

This response does not seem correct. It is acting like the DNS service does not know of a domain controller.?

 

by: Dixie_DogPosted on 2009-06-15 at 12:13:28ID: 24631993

I tried the NSLOOKUP on the domain controller itself:
>nslookup
Default Server: se-server1.esm.local
Address: 10.0.0.2

>domain.com
Server:  se-server1.esm.local
Address: 10.0.0.2

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:  domain.com
Addresses:  66.150.120.131, 216.34.94.184
>

Where the h*** did those addresses come from?

On the XP client that is already joined to the domain:
nslookup
Default Server:  se-server1.esm.local
Address:  10.0.0.2

>domain.com
Server: se-server1.esm.local
Address: 10.0.0.2

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:  domain.com
Addresses: 216.34.94.184, 66.150.120.131
>
WTF?

 

by: wilfriedsPosted on 2009-06-17 at 06:55:29ID: 24648192

My guess is that the ip addresses you do not recognize are DNS addresses from your ISP (you are connected to the internet while you do the nslookup, right).  I suppose your DHCP server which is also your router is forwarding these DNS addresses to the client machines (as it should because otherwise you would not be able to browse the internet from the clients).
If you want to use your own DNS server on your LAN, you will have to tweak the DHCP server of the router to also send your own DNS server IP address and put that first in line, or use another DHCP server (for instance on the same machine as your DNS server - if your LAN is not big the load is minimal; of course if you run a 100 client LAN you should dedicate a machine).
By the way, your comment that the DNS service does not seem to realize that there is a domain controller is very correct : DNS is IP, domain controller is Microsoft Windows stuff.
What also surprises me in your ipconfig is the ip address of the default gateway : 0.0.0.1 is not possible imho.  The default gateway typically is the router internal address (I assume you set a LAN side address on your router that is different from the address it receives from the ISP, right?).
That might actually cause your problem to begin with.

 

by: wilfriedsPosted on 2009-06-17 at 07:36:25ID: 24648685

Further to this, I notice some other strange elements :
------------
Ip address : 10.0.0.5
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 0.0.0.1
---------------

The subnet mask usually for an IP address in this range is 255.0.0.0 (A-range)
Are you sure you want to use the 255.255.255.0 ?

Default Gateway as already mentioned should be something like 10.0.0.1 instead of 0.0.0.1, or was that a typo?  This could explain your problem.

-------------------

From the command line > nslookup
Default Server : se-server1.esm.local  : this is the name of the domain controller.
Address: 10.0.0.2
> domain.com
Server: se-server1.esm.local
Address: 10.0.0.2

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds
*** Request to se-server1.esm.local timed-out.
-------------

Your DNS server seems correctly set by the DHCP but it is not answering the queries.  If this does work on the other clients and the DNS is coming back with the right response there, this is a connection issue.
In fact, in the ipconfig the domain of the DNS server should be visible and this does not seem to be the case either.

Lastly, ipconfig says there is a Local Area Connection 2, which can indicate (no must though) there used to be two cards.

If the problem is not the gateway address, you may want to try removing the ethernet card and replacing it with another one.  That may be the problem.

As you can see, there are a great many possibilities.

 

by: Dixie_DogPosted on 2009-06-17 at 10:48:30ID: 24650777

Great News I have worked passed the problem, but I am not sure exactly which of following activities worked so I will make a few comments:

1. the default gateway was 10.0.0.1 - there is a typo in one of the above comments.

2. I failed to mention earlier that inorder for NSLOOKUP to work properly I had to add a reverse lookup zone in the DNS console on the server.  I think this may have contributed to the problem to begin with.  I thought it only affected NSLOOKUP but there could be more to it than that.

3. I also found out from microsoft http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329866 that the netbios helper service needed to be running on the XP client - apparently even if you are using DNS for name resolution.  So I turned this service back on.

4.  I also found that in an active directory managed system, a secure channel is created for each individual client that communicates with the domain controller.  In this case this was a machine that was once part of the domain until we had to clean and reconnect the machine due to a virus infection.  I had technical notes reccommending that the machine account be reset which I had previously tried.  This time I deleted the account out of the active directory and then I put it back in.

Some combination of the above actually led to a solution.  I was able to easily join the domain.  Also now I am able to access the share folder that is located on the domain controller by clicking the browse function.  The folder appeared as \\se-server1\innfinity which is exactly correct.  I did not have to hard code the ip address.  So for now my problem is fixed.  I would welcome commentary as to what actually worked, especially with respect to the reverse lookup zone.

 

by: Dixie_DogPosted on 2009-06-17 at 11:08:09ID: 31591861

I think the most important element here is understanding the XP client interaction with the domain controller in relation to DNS and Active directory.  I am still not 100% sure has to how the XP client finds the domain controller when you try to join a domain.  Does it find out from the DNS server, or does it find out through a broadcast mechanism, or through another method?  I would like to have a better understanding of this process.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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