SBS2003 Restarts every hour : Microsoft, Server 2003, SBS 2003

I take it you havent sat in front of the server or had someone sat there to see what happens as it does it? If you have what happens.. does it just reset as if the powere has gone or does it shutdown gracefully?

05.07.2008 at 03:31AM PDT, ID: 21514877

Also has the SBS server been promoted to be the DC for the domain ( I know there are no other servers and this should be the default but its worth checking).

05.07.2008 at 04:20AM PDT, ID: 21515126

Rank: Sage

It definitely sounds line the SBS "time bomb" (seeing another SBS). Is there any chance this is connected to another SBS site by means of a VPN?

05.07.2008 at 04:29AM PDT, ID: 21515180

Hey

Yes, we have watched the server, and it does a "graceful" shutdown.

The SBS is the domain controller as far as I know, and yes it's the only domain controller.
On a side note, SBS HAS to be a domain controller, you have no options on that

--
Francois Rossouw, Nerds On Site, South Africa

05.07.2008 at 04:32AM PDT, ID: 21515201

No strictly true, you can demote an SBS server..

05.07.2008 at 11:42AM PDT, ID: 21519209

OK, how would I make 100% sure that it is indeed the primary(solitary?) domain controller?

05.07.2008 at 12:16PM PDT, ID: 21519480

From what youve said I think it is but look in ADUS under domain contollers .. simply check tat there is only one there, you can double check with adsi edit and drill into the DC container.

What servers did they have on site prior to the install... did you add this to a domain and remove an old server?

05.07.2008 at 02:00PM PDT, ID: 21520310

Rank: Sage

Active Directory would only show the DC's joined to the domain. If they are there they should be OK. It's the one that isn't there that is the problem.

There are tools such as http://www.lookatlan.com that will inventory your network, but some systems can be blocked by firewalls.
Simply looking in my network places/entire network/microsoft windows network may tell you, if it is part of another domain. You will see a second domain present.

are there any other servers that you know of? Easy enough to check if they are DC's.

Is there a VPN connecting you to any other networks?

05.07.2008 at 02:05PM PDT, ID: 21520348

If the second DC is not connected to the domain then it wouldnt be causing the problem anyway? A second domain wouldnt either,.. or am I being stupid here?

05.07.2008 at 02:25PM PDT, ID: 21520484

Plug1: Yes, the server is the only one listed under domain controllers, the new server and the old sbs was never on the same network at the same time.

Robwill: Only 1 domain shows up under My network places, no other servers, and no VPN's

05.07.2008 at 02:27PM PDT, ID: 21520498

Rank: Sage

You are right. My apologies.
It would only be an issue if the same domain name was used, such as a DC that was in place before the SBS installation.
Or, a DC with the same domain at the other end of a VPN.

Wonder what would happen with a workstation with the same name as the SBS? Perhaps from a previous workgroup. It would be different issue, but I wonder how the SBS would react?

05.07.2008 at 02:59PM PDT, ID: 21520709

Rank: Sage

>>"the new server and the old sbs was never on the same network at the same time."
It is a long shot, but I wonder if it could be due to a cached DNS entry somewhere on a PC, or on the server, inherited from a PC.
Easy way to tell, if logistics allowed; disconnect the SBS from the network, run at a command line ipconfig /flushdns, check the DNS console to make sure all host and PTR records are correct, and wait a couple of hours. If there is not reboot, it is somewhere on the network. If it does reboot, a call to Microsoft may be in order, as it does not sound hardware related.

05.07.2008 at 03:09PM PDT, ID: 21520777

Hmmm... I just noticed that I left out a piece of info...

It seems like, wen the server starts rebooting every hour, a manual reboot breaks the cycle.
7 days later, it starts again, until I manually reboot it again...

05.07.2008 at 04:10PM PDT, ID: 21521148

Rank: Sage

Definitely not hardware if it works like clockwork.

I'd see what happens when it is pulled from the network.

05.07.2008 at 11:17PM PDT, ID: 21522645

What would you recommend

1) Unplug from network on day 6 of the 7 days before reboots?
2) Reboot and unplug?

This server is currently sitting with a client and they can't exactly afford to sit without the server for a prolonged amount of time..

05.08.2008 at 01:17AM PDT, ID: 21523097

Obviously that is not an option, the reason the reboot breaks th ecycle issimply because it waits 7 days before it starts looking for another sbs server.

When you say they wer nevr on the network at he same time... was the old domain the same name as the new domain, was the old server the same name?

05.08.2008 at 05:17AM PDT, ID: 21523986

Yes, the new server has the same NAME and DOMAIN NAME as the old one.

So, the theory goes:
If I reboot it on a fiday and unplug it from the network the following thursday (day 6) and it keeps going through the weekend, it's something on the network?

05.08.2008 at 06:37AM PDT, ID: 21524522

Rank: Sage

>>"Yes, the new server has the same NAME and DOMAIN NAME as the old one."
Pretty well guarantee that is the problem. Clearing that may be a tougher issue.

As for disconnecting I was thinking wait the seven days until it starts rebooting and then disconnect for a couple of hours. Then again it may stay in the loop until a reboot, I don't know how the "flag' works.

Personaly I would; check DNS host and PTR records very carefully and verify they are correct, do the same for WINS if running, reboot every machine (other than server) to clear the DNS and NetBIOS cache, then clear the server cache with ipconfig /flushdns , then clear NetBIOS cache with nbtstat -R and wait.

Accepted Solution

05.08.2008 at 09:04AM PDT, ID: 21525916

TekServer:

You know, there is a very simple workaround for this issue, as I see it. Assuming your client doesn't use the server at some point over the weekend (like, say, 3 am Sunday morning), you can create a very simple batch file with one line: "shutdown /r" (no quotes). Schedule that to run once a week, and it will keep resetting the 7 day grace period.

I know this doesn't really solve the problem; but it will make it go away, from the customer's perspective, and give you some breathing room for further troubleshooting.

05.08.2008 at 11:12AM PDT, ID: 21527051

I think the problem could be caused by the clients on the network looking for the old server on the old domain... did you rejoin all the clients to the new domain i.e disconnect and reconnect? In future it would be better to use different names or add the new sbs to the domain and demote and remove the other one.

Assisted Solution

05.08.2008 at 11:13AM PDT, ID: 21527059

lol, and your doing well for a 250 point question... :)

05.08.2008 at 11:20AM PDT, ID: 21527128