Domain Controller Not Found - Unable to Join Domain

(Ok, actually the *first* thing to check is that the XP machine has the correct IP settings, and it can ping the domain controller....)

Yep, I can ping both the domain controller and the DNS server. And the machine has the correct IP and DNS settings.

Does your DNS have SRV records for your domain.

Also, are there any event log entries on your XP machines relating to this.

You might look through the log here c:\%winsysdir%\debug\netsetup.txt

and double check you TCP/IP settings so that the only DNS servers listed as those hosting your domain.

I should further add that the XP Pro client in question is a brand new IBM laptop.

confirm there are SRV records in the following location

Open DNS from admin tools or through a custom MMC.

expand _msdcs
expand dc
expand _tcp

confirm there are SRV records with the name _ldap for you doamin controllers.

I checked the netsetup log and found this.
I think it means that the DNS does have an SRV record of the domain, but I'm not sure.  You'll have to forgive my ignorance of Windows networking.

02/19 12:05:29 -----------------------------------------------------------------
02/19 12:05:29 NetpValidateName: checking to see if 'DOMAIN NAME' is valid as type 3 name
02/19 12:05:32 NetpCheckDomainNameIsValid for DOMAIN NAME returned 0x54b
02/19 12:05:32 NetpCheckDomainNameIsValid [ Exists ] for 'DOMAIN NAME' returned 0x54b

I do know that DNS servers are correctly listed in the TCP/IP settings.
Again, every computer on our network, including the XP Pro clients are configured the exact same way, and they all work great except the ones running XP Pro.

I checked the DNS Admin tool and _ldap SRV records are all there.

at the server type the following in a command window

ipconfig /registerdns

You can also try this....

1.  In the domain, start the DNS snap-in.
2.  Open the Forward Lookup zone, right-click your domain name, and then click Properties.
3.  On the General tab, make sure that Allow dynamic updates is set to Yes. By default, this is set to Only Secure Updates.
4.  Stop and then restart the DNS service. At a command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line:
     -  net stop dns
     -  net start dns

Just finished doing everything you said Chris.  Still nothing.

Are you using dhcp to assign the ip info? or static ip?
from a prompt on the promblem machine run
ipconfig /all and post here please
barring a physical layer problem, this is almost always a dns issue

>>The query was for the SRV record for _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.DOMAIN NAME
How do you come to know about this query?

Can you enable DNS server logs and post the queries, which fails when you try to join. By this we will know exactly which queries are failing. And then we can verify the corresponding records on the DNS server

This happened to me as well.  Brand new Sony Vaio with WinXP Pro.  On the initial setup I had it connected to the network just fine.  Then I had to rename the machine and that's when I got this message.  I can't get it to logon to the domain, but I can ping my DNS server just fine both by IP and name.  After setting a static IP, I can ping the problem system from anywhere on my network.  I orginally had the system set up as DHCP, but I've changed to a static IP address and set the primary DNS settings to point to my server.  Still nothing.  Where exactly should the _ldap SRV records be listed.  I have them a couple layers deep from the root of my _msdcs zone and my _sites zone.  I have the _ldap record in the root of my _tcp zone, but not all under _udp.  Is that the issue?

This query is displayed in an error message that appears after entering the 'Computer Name Changes' screen and attempting to connect to our domain.  Here's the initial message.  I'm hoping that it makes it clear to you as to what the problem is, but I'm having trouble deciphering it:

Note: This information is intended for a network administrator.  If you are not your network's administrator, notify the administrator that you received this information, which has been recorded in the file C:\WINDOWS\debug\dcdiag.txt.
The domain name themadisongroup might be a NetBIOS domain name.  If this is the case, verify that the domain name is properly registered with WINS.
If you are certain that the name is not a NetBIOS domain name, then the following information can help you troubleshoot your DNS configuration.
The following error occurred when DNS was queried for the service location (SRV) resource record used to locate a domain controller for domain themadisongroup:
The error was: "DNS name does not exist."
(error code 0x0000232B RCODE_NAME_ERROR)
The query was for the SRV record for _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.themadisongroup
Common causes of this error include the following:
- The DNS SRV record is not registered in DNS.
- One or more of the following zones do not include delegation to its child zone:
themadisongroup
. (the root zone)
For information about correcting this problem, click Help.

Thanks for all your help!
Todd.

I was having the exact same problem and I just fixed it.  It was something really retarded too.  Our company was using Norton Personal Firewall and it was blocking access to our server, which gave me the same errors that you talked about above.  If you have any firewall programs going disable them and then try.  It worked in a second for me once I did.  Hope that helps.

-BorkYWarP

Thanks IngoW.  I still don't know why I needed to enable NetBios but it did he trick.

I'm having the same error message, but mine is joining the domain over a VPN.

I enabled NetBIOS over TCP/IP and it didn't do the trick.

The only think that works is if I assign the primary dns to the DNS server across the VPN.  I would like to just have a dynamic IP through their local ISP instead of all DNS traffic going across the VPN but it works.

Any thoughts on what I can do?

I work for a large company and IT recently renamed my xp pro laptop.  The IT guy joined the new computer name to the domain while I was watching and was still getting the error message mentioned in this thread.  (My machine is a Centrino with built-in wireless, which I configured to use the IT access points in our building when not docked.)

Anyway, ever since this time, I cannot logon to the domain over my fast ethernet link.  However, if I unplug and logon using the wireless connection, everything works fine.  In fact, I can then reconnect the fast ethernet cable, while logged onto the domain, and everything works fine until I log off or restart...then, I get to go through this song and dance all over again.

IT's solution is to re-image my machine, however, I don't want to do this as I have lots of developer tools loaded on my laptop that I don't want to have to go through the process of reloading...not to mention, the chance that I might miss something when backing up my data.

Anyone have any ideas on a permanent solution?

Thanks,

Try checking service packs for xp

Thanks, my PC is already running SP1.

All,

Please see my earlier comments in this thread.  It all still applies.  I have some more to add.

1.  I can logon to the domain using my wireless connection without my fastE connected, then disable my radio, logoff, connect my fastE, log back on and everything works fine.  But, if I try to do this by disabling the radio and doing a shut-down (vs. logoff) and then follow the same steps, I can't get on the domain.
2.  I can turn off the radio, disconnect the fastE, shutdown, logon with my domain profile (no network connection), let it start logging on with my local profile, connect my fastE and then everything works again.

Basically, it appears as though whatever is happening in the "preparing network connections" post just doesn't seem to like my fastE connection.  I can somewhat validate this because if I don't put in a username or password when my fastE is connected when booting, I get a message something like "the domain controller is unavailable".

I'd still like to get this figured out...mainly because I'm very curious at this point and my new logon method, if I want to take advantage of my fastE connection, is rather tedious.

Thanks,

Hi foreswing,
IMO, I think you'll have more luck if you post your own question and offer some points...this question has already been accepted.

cheers

Thanks...I'll do it.

Just resolved the same problem thanks to this thread. Problem was Norton Personal Firewall (again!)

Thanks to Borkyarp for posting the "retarded" solution:

I too resolved this problem by removing the XP Internet Connection Firewall which was enbled on ethernet connection of the laptop!!!  YEAHHHH!

=========
So just to summarize the original error when connecting to Domain from XP Pro for future readers:

it had already recognized the user name (Username JENNY found on domain DOMAINNAME. would you like to use it?"

then:

"The domain name DOMAINNAME might be a NetBIOS domain name.  If this is the case, verify that the domain name is properly registered with WINS"

Thanks for pointing out the obvious - after deactivating Norton Internet Security, it worked fine for me as well,
Cheers,
Martin

Ok, so what to do if these solutions do not work?  I have a large, single server network that I am trying to join 4 XP SP2 PCs to a 2000 Server domain.  The Netbios name and the TCP/IP name are the same, which another co-worker thinks is the problem.  These PCs have full internet connectivity, can fully resolve the DC using its name and IP address, but when I try and connect them to the domain, the OS says that the domain controller for the domain cannot be contacted.  I ran into this same problem with a laptop, and I resorted to taking the laptop from the site it is to be used at, to the server site (65 miles of difference, Baltimore to Northern VA).  Once connected to the hub that the server is jacked into, the laptop was able to join the domain fine.  Please tell me that I will not need to take all 4 desktops there and back.

Brian

Brian, this question is closed, you will have to ask your own question :-)
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Networking/Microsoft_Network/

I'll save you a few points by telling you that it's NOT because the host name and NetBIOS name are the same...that's pretty standard.

cheers :)

Error message on adding a winxp laptop/PC with srvpck2 to the domain

Error message

The domain name <ur domain name> might be a NetBIOS domain name.  If this is the case, verify that the domain name is properly registered with WINS.If you are certain that the name is not a NetBIOS domain name, then the following information can help you troubleshoot your DNS configuration.The following error occurred when DNS was queried for the service location (SRV) resource record used to locate a domain controller for domain <ur domain name>:

The error was: "DNS name does not exist."
(error code 0x0000232B RCODE_NAME_ERROR)

The query was for the SRV record for _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.<ur domain name>

Common causes of this error include the following:

- The DNS SRV record is not registered in DNS.

- One or more of the following zones do not include delegation to its child zone:

<ur domain name>.(the root zone)


Solution:

Stop the service Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) / Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) and change the startup type to manual

will solve the problem

Use the actual administrative account that has permission to add a computer to the domain.  Not a user with domain admin rights or local rights.  I had a problem similiar to the above and this solved my problem.

I had the xp firewall disabled but had forgotten about the norton got to tell  I was at the end of my rope until I read this article and I can't thank you enough. Now I know why I pay for the acces to this website.  Life saver!
Thank you!

NetBIOS Helper service is required with NBT enabled on Server.

I also noticed that if the WINS server is not setup, you would face this issue

I mean the WINS server has to be setup on the Lan settings for this error to be over come

DOH! I should have thought to look at Norton. Thanks everyone... that's why I love these forums!!!

fat