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PDC could not be found ? error 6118

Hi, suddenly I get the message every morning (NT4 SP5 WS) that the domain controller could not be found. (I applied SP5 to the server that morning, but it did not do anything to the other workstations?)
I still have all the shares of the network connected, but I can not browse for printer or file shares (error 6118).
On the MSKB I found error 6118 described as a DOS error. I think it does not apply here.
My network setup has not been changed.
What can I do to solve this ?

Recreate the computer account.
At the workstation, make it a member of a workgroup, then put it back to the domain, using the admin account to recreate the computer account.

ASKER

Recreating means creating a new account ? I think the new account will be different from the original account, even when I keep my user / computer name. So I delete the original account ?

Can you predict if I will loose any important rights to some files or else that I may not be aware of now ?
thanks again !

You needn't worry about rights. They refer to user accounts, not computer accounts.

Make sure that DC is reporting to the WINS.

Is the domain controller accross the router. If so, you will need something like WINS or LMHOSTS file to tell the client where to find the domain controller.

Confirm that the client IP address is on the same subnet as domain controller with the appropriate subnet mask, if you don't have a router.
Confirm that there is appropriate Default Gateway address on the client.

ASKER

Hello, I changed the network settings to be member of a workgroup and rebooted. Then I deleted the old account on the PDC (because I wanted to take the name for the new account).
I created a new account in the domain.
When I try to change the network settings on my workstation, it still says that the PDC can not be found. So can not become a member of the domain and I also can not go back to my old account. Unfortunately my cookies, software installation settings desktop and shortcuts are not present any more.(I know where I can find the profiles folder).
I also tried to create a new account in the domain from my workstation, but this is also not possible (PDC not found...)
I still can not browse shares, but I can connect to shares, when I know their names.
I could connect to the server and reconfigure my EXCHANGE server account. [ That's why you still read my messages ;-) ]
thanks, - Klaus

ASKER

I forgot: The network seems to be ok, I can ping to the friendly computer names and they are solved to the IP numbers (Private IP numbers).
It is a small network. The gateway is set to the router(LAN modem) for external IP's. That's how it works for all machines here.

Are you sure you've been doing computer account, not user account ?

ASKER

You are right...I deleted the user account.
But I still can not add a new computer account from the network panel of my workstation (PDC not found).
I could add a machine in the server COMPUTER MANAGER, but the workstation can not find the PDC:

IS Remote ACCESS a factor here? Do you or are you RASing into the Network?

DO all clients get this err msg?

In your event LOG is there mention of Master Browser Forced Elections?

Sounds like name resolution's up the spout.
Check IPCONFIG /ALL has correct WINS address.
Check LMHOSTS and HOSTS files for invalid entries.
From command prompt, try PING pdcname.
Does it work ?
Does PING pdcname's_ipaddress work ?
Try NBTSTAT -a pdcname and NBTSTAT -A pdcname's_ipaddress.
Find out where name resolution is failing.
Can you net use \\pdcname\ipc$ /user:domainname\adminsistrator password work ?
Try replacing pdcname with the ip address as well.
These are all steps to eliminate possible problems with name resolution - let me know what happens for each.

ASKER

johnsor2: -I am not aware of RAS s/w running, except pcAnywhere running on the PDC over TCP/IP.
- No, only one machine has the error.
- Yes: this was days or weeks ago: I ignored those messages in the event log, because I did not understand them and the system still ran (well, except 1 or 2 days when we lost network connections to the server several times, but that is cured!?)

Can check the other points and the detailed event log in 1 hr, when I am in office.
thanks !

ASKER

correction: After asking around I found out that: 3 of 5 workstations have this error message about PDC not found (they did not tell someone, because everything else worked).
I restarted the server this morning and the event log goes like this:
(I have translated it, it's not the original text)
..................
- WIN NT 4.0 1381 SP5...
-ID6005 event log started
-ID1 DNS server SP5 starting
-ID708 DNS: DNS server has no primary or secondary zones. DNS server will work as caching server only and not be authorized for any zone
-ID2 DNS server has been started
-ID8015 BROWSER: master browser? forced an election on network \device\netbt_rtl80291 because a server or domain browsing? service has been started
..................
This is my WS's answer to ipconfig /all

Windows NT IP-Konfiguration

      Host-Name . . . . . . . . . : klaus.dom-insel
      DNS-Server. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.10
       192.168.0.1
      Knotentyp . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast

      NetBIOS-Bereichs-ID . . . . :

      IP-Routing aktiviert. . . . : Nein

      WINS-Proxy aktiviert. . . . : Nein

      NetBIOS-Auswertung mit DNS : Ja

Ethernet-Adapter RTL80291:

      Beschreibung. . . . . . . . : Novell 2000 Adapter.

      Physikalische Adresse . . . : 00-00-B4-52-87-78

      DHCP aktiviert. . . . . . . : Nein

      IP-Adresse. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.12

      Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.192

      Standard-Gateway. . . . . . : 192.168.0.10

PPP Adapter NdisWan4:

      Beschreibung. . . . . . . . : NdisWan Adapter

      Physikalische Adresse . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00

      DHCP aktiviert. . . . . . . : Nein

      IP-Adresse. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0

      Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0

      Standard-Gateway. . . . . . :

....................
(192.168.0.10 is the PDC)
I can ping to the PDC's name or IP number.
This is what 'nbtstat /a insel' gives:
NetBIOS-Namentabelle des Remote-Computers

Name Typ Status

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

Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert

MAC-Adresse = 00-00-B4-52-82-8E

INSEL <00> UNIQUE
INSEL <20> UNIQUE
DOM-INSEL <00> GROUP
DOM-INSEL <1C> GROUP
DOM-INSEL <1B> UNIQUE
DOM-INSEL <1E> GROUP
INSEL <03> UNIQUE
ADMINISTRATOR <03> UNIQUE
DOM-INSEL <1D> UNIQUE
...__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP
INet~Services <1C> GROUP
IS~INSEL.......<00> UNIQUE

......................
This is 'nbtstat -a 192.168.0.10'
NetBIOS-Namentabelle des Remote-Computers

Name Typ Status

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

Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert Registriert

MAC-Adresse = 00-00-B4-52-82-8E

INSEL <00> UNIQUE
INSEL <20> UNIQUE
DOM-INSEL <00> GROUP
DOM-INSEL <1C> GROUP
DOM-INSEL <1B> UNIQUE
DOM-INSEL <1E> GROUP
INSEL <03> UNIQUE
ADMINISTRATOR <03> UNIQUE
DOM-INSEL <1D> UNIQUE
...__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP
INet~Services <1C> GROUP
IS~INSEL.......<00> UNIQUE

....................
I can not get this command to work:
net use \\INSEL\daten /Administrator:DOM-INSEL\**PW***
Syntax ?
But from the explorer I can connect to the shares of the PDC.
thanks !

On one of the failing workstations - try (in network control panel).

Moving it to a WORKGROUP
Moving it back to the DOMAIN, using the admin accont.
This is a working alternative to making the change in SRVMGR.

(I think we've missed this step out!)

ASKER

No, I did that to my workstation. I moved to a workgroup and could never connect back to the domain, because it was not available to my machine.

Move it to a workgroup, delete the account from SRVMGR, move it back.
This will recreate the computer account's SID.
If you back out of SP5 - does this fix it ?
You resolution will go in this order :

NetBIOS Name Cache
Broadcasting a NetBIOS Name Query
Checking LMHOSTS (MS b-node implementation ONLY)
HOSTS file
DNS

What happens when you put the PDC name and ip address in your LMHOSTS file ?
You can do NBTSTAT -r to load this up straightaway and see what happens.

Are there any event log errors ?

192.168.0.10 is your PDC, your DNS server and default gateway

You've checked the box enabled netbios name lookup via DNS.
Try unticking it, as your DNS server doesn't seem to be working.

Is your PDC on a different subnet, or physical LAN ?

ASKER

I deleted the computer and user accounts from the server. I can establish new accounts from the server, but I can not do that from the workstation. (no PDC...)
No event errors, except about '-1 messages..' on NNTPSVC, which is not configured. All services are started like usual, except some that I know and are unimportant.
I entered the PDC name into the HOSTS and LMHOSTS file and checked 'read LMHOSTS' in the network control panel.
I will try to untick DNS name lookup.
Usually the PDC is not the default gateway, but I tried this to make it all work again. I put it back to 192.168.0.1, which is our router to the internet(ISDN LAN modem).
The PDC is on the same subnet, I rechecked the IP numbers.
This is what nbtstat -r gives:

Statistik zur NetBIOS-Namenauswertung und -registrierung

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

Durch Rundsendung ausgewertet = 5

Durch Namens-Server ausgewertet = 0

Durch Rundsendung registriert = 7

Durch Namens-Server registriert = 0

Durch Rundsendung ausgewertete NetBIOS-Namen

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

DOM-INSEL <1C>
DOM-INSEL <1B>
INSEL
INSEL
INSEL

INSEL is the PDC and DOM-INSEL the domain name.
I will now restart without DNS netbios name lookup on the workstation.

What protocols do you have installed ?
Are they all properly bound ?
Are any bindings disabled ?
Does the server and workstation service start without problems on the workstation ?
I'm running out of ideas.
I've seen this persistent behaviour before, got fed up with it, reinstalled the box and it then worked.
From a command prompt :

net use \\INSEL\IPC$ /USER:Administrator Password

This tests that IPC is working.
Now it could be dodgy network card drivers - try the latest.
Also check that the speed is manually set to 100Mbs (or whatever the hub is).

ASKER

- I unchecked DNS on the workstation. After rebooting it did not connect automatically to the shares ! I could also not use the internet connection. I reticked DNS: It still does not reconnect the shares !!
But when I open the explorer, all remote shares from the server have a red cross. But when I click on the remote drives, it reads the drives and the red cross disapears.
- There is only TCPIP installed.
- The bindings are ok and enabled.
- net use \\INSEL\IPC$ /USER:Administrator Password
gives ERROR 53, network path not found.
- network card drivers: but it is on 3 workstations like this...The drivers are all the NT drivers: the cards have been identified by setup. All WS have SP4 or SP5 installed and worked for months like this.
You think I should reinstall the server ? I will try to deinstall SP5 on the server, but I have to wait until the week-end to be able to do this.
It's time to apply SP5 again on the workstation now.

Try :

net use \\INSEL\IPC$ /USER:domainname/Administrator Password

ASKER

Hi, this gives an error. 'the usercontext is not allowed' (NET HELPMSG 3775)(/USER context is not valid)

ASKER

btw, I logged in on one of the workstations that function and wrote this:
NET USE \\INSEL\IPC$ (it was successful)
then
NET USE \\INSEL\IPC$ /USER:Administrator password (also successful).

vbklaus...
Try changing your subnet mask from 255.255.255.192 to 255.255.255.0 on the workstation.

With 192 at the end the IP addresses 192.168.0.10 and 192.168.0.12 are not valid. Open the subnet to 255.255.255.0 and I think your problem will go away.

ASKER

Hi, I know I am bad in IP calculating... I will try this on Monday.
Wouldn't it be necessary to change the subnet masks of all workstations and the PDC ? Do you have any idea, why this was working for months and still works for 2 of 5 workstations ?

Odd... Have all the computers got the same 255.255.255.192 subnet mask?

You could use that subnet mask, but then you should have addresses in the:
192.168.0.65 - 192.168.0.126
and
192.168.0.129 - 192.168.0.190
ranges (two subnets).

ASKER

Yes, they have all the same subnet mask. I used only numbers in the range 192.168.0.1 to about x.30. But nevertheless I will change the subnet and see what happens !

Well... if it worked before SP5 and not after with the same subnetting scheme I'm confused !
I've never come across a subnet like this - it does seem unnecessary though.

ASKER

I can not go back to SP4. I did not make an uninstall directory, because I had waited months after tests on our workstations with SP5, before I applied it to the server. I was so sure there were no problems.
- I will try the 255.255.255.0 mask tomorrow: was too late today before work began.
Funny things happen: My machine (which can not go back to the domain) does not connect automatically to the shares of the PDC. When I look into EXPLORER, all network drives have a red cross.
When I click on shares called 'C$' or 'DATA' I get an error message. When I click on a share called 'bmw' it connects at once ! After that I can click on all the other red crossed drives and they connect also at once....

That is probably just a coincidence. The delay is probably due to the browsing table being built at startup.

ASKER

Hello, I changed the subnet to 255.255.255.0
It did not make any difference.
The 3 workstations with the disturbancees with the domain have the lowest IP numbers. For a test I used a higher IP number , but it did not help.

ASKER

Hi, today I removed all HOSTS and LMHOST files from the server; removed the IP number of my internet gateway (LAN modem) from the list of DNS servers of my NT server and removed the DSN service from the server.
I reinstalled the DNS service and reapplied SP5 and everything is back to normal !!! I still do not know what the problem was, but it works fine now.
Maybe some corrupted files on the server ? We had some crashes due to power failiure: now I have UPS installed.

What was your Internet gateway doing listed as a DNS server ?
Especially seeming it was a modem !

ASKER

Hello, this is a good question. I am working for several years with NT computers, but my knowledge is not going very deep. I can just set up a small system and keep it running to a certain degree.
I thought that my DNS server might learn from the DNS server of my ISP and cache some numbers !?
The LAN modem connects to the internet as soon as an external IP address is needed.

ASKER

Today I noticed that the mail server could not resolve some external domain names (cache expired?). I had to add the LAN modem's IP number in the mail server setup to make it work. (This is Internet Anywhere Mail Server).

>I thought that my DNS server might >learn from the DNS server of my ISP >and cache some numbers !?

The Internet gateway specified by your ISP is unlikely to be the DNS also.
You should contact your ISP and ask for the DNS IP address and configure it that way.
Or... have your own, but if you've only one or two entries then there's not much point.
Even so, you should contact your ISP and let them know you've got your own DNS and would like to add it as a secondary server to their zone.
Check the gateway address - do you want all traffic bound for a different subnet to leave your company through your 'LAN modem'?!

ASKER

I have a DNS utility and just found out the correct IP number of the nameserver. I will use that for my mailserver from now on. Anyway , to avoid problems and save connection time I use the ISP's mail server for relaying SMTP traffic.
- You mean I could totally remove the DNS service from my server ? What would I use...a HOSTS file ?
-...gateway address: I think that is correct; we only have one net and only one gateway, so I do not need to bother about subnets.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

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