Primary & Secondary Domain Controllers
Hello,
We have 2 domain controllers managing our domain, a PDC (primary domain controller) and a BDC (backup domain controller), the problem is this, when the BDC is turned off or loses power the network disappears, i am under the impression that for whatever reason the BDC has managed to become the primary, both systems are windows NT 4.0, and what i need to know is how to find out what each machine thinks it is and if they are switched how to get the domain back to be controlled by the original PDC.
Thanks
Eric.
We have 2 domain controllers managing our domain, a PDC (primary domain controller) and a BDC (backup domain controller), the problem is this, when the BDC is turned off or loses power the network disappears, i am under the impression that for whatever reason the BDC has managed to become the primary, both systems are windows NT 4.0, and what i need to know is how to find out what each machine thinks it is and if they are switched how to get the domain back to be controlled by the original PDC.
Thanks
Eric.
Lee W, MVP
Open Server Manager. It will tell you which is the PDC and which are BDCs. You can then promote or demote servers from there.
ASKER
we have done this and they say the correct things, pdc=pdc and bdc=bdc, but yet if the bdc loses power the network disappears.....
Check over your event logs on both servers. Could be failing service is your problem.
Hi. What you've stated is very logical if a WINS configuration problem exists.
Check your WINS entries on the servers to see if you have disconnected, split WINS databases. I've seen this when the WINS servers point to each other.
Ensure that the PDC points only to ITSELF and that the BDC points only to ITSELF for WINS. They must be responsible for their individual NetBIOS registrations.
Do NOT include the PDCs address at all in the WINS entry for the BDC; do NOT include the BDCs address at all in the PDCs WINS entries.
Check your WINS entries on the servers to see if you have disconnected, split WINS databases. I've seen this when the WINS servers point to each other.
Ensure that the PDC points only to ITSELF and that the BDC points only to ITSELF for WINS. They must be responsible for their individual NetBIOS registrations.
Do NOT include the PDCs address at all in the WINS entry for the BDC; do NOT include the BDCs address at all in the PDCs WINS entries.
ASKER
gpriceee,
interesting thing, i went to the pdc and checked its wins settings and it appears to list only itself under wins server, when i go to the bdc and check the option for wins is not even on the menu ???.
interesting thing, i went to the pdc and checked its wins settings and it appears to list only itself under wins server, when i go to the bdc and check the option for wins is not even on the menu ???.
WINS settings should be:
WINS Server 1:
Primary and Secondary point to ITSELF
WINS Server 2:
Primary and Secondary point to ITSELF
All other systems:
Primary points to Server 1; Secondary points to Server 2.
WINS Server 1:
Primary and Secondary point to ITSELF
WINS Server 2:
Primary and Secondary point to ITSELF
All other systems:
Primary points to Server 1; Secondary points to Server 2.
Leew is correct.
What do you have in the DHCP settings for the workstations?
What do you have in the DHCP settings for the workstations?
ASKER
Hello,
The primary points to itself as stated above, the secondary does not have a menu item for wins server, you appear to be repeating what has already been stated above....????
The primary points to itself as stated above, the secondary does not have a menu item for wins server, you appear to be repeating what has already been stated above....????
ASKER
The dhcp on the workstations point to the pdc and all settings (is time, gateway etc) are correct on the pdc.
Your right; didn't see that - sorry gpriceee
Are you using DNS?
ASKER
Do, this is an older domain created under windows nt 4.0, it does now have machines on the domain that are windows 2000 and xp servers, but both domain controllers are NT 4.0 SP6 and DNS is not used...
ASKER
The backup domain controller is a very old machine and the primary is a newer dell server system, we just want to replace the bdc, but can't do so becuase it seems to be managing the network, we just don,t know why or how...
Eric.
Eric.
ASKER
When looking at the pdc servers wins settings there is a place that lists the different machines on the network, this area seems to have a lot of garbage characters at the top, should this list be re-built, maybe this is the probelm..???
Leew, can you take over?
I just got called away.
I just got called away.
ASKER
Hello Leew, its back to you, any ideas as to what may be happening ?
ASKER
Leew,
this is not a rush thing, i will be on and off most of the day....
thanks.
Eric.
this is not a rush thing, i will be on and off most of the day....
thanks.
Eric.
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