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RPC Server Is Unavailable when working with Group Policies

OK, I have seen several other answers on this, but I am not getting any different results after trying or looking into every one that seems to make sense to me (yes, I realize all things are relative). So, please forgive, what is sure to be an easy question to many of you, but when I go into GPMC and run the GP Results Wizard, I get the message "RPC Server is Unavailable." I have made sure that the RPC service is running on the DC and tried to select many different machines within the domain, with the same problem. Where should I look now?

Just in case this impacts anything in any way, the topology is this: Site 1=SBS 2003 Standard and PDC connected to sites 2 and three via VPN; Site 2 = Windows 2003 Standard as DC, primarily for DFS; and Site 3 = Windows 2003 Standard as DC, primarily for DFS.

Hope that someone can point me in a direction that works. I hate giving up, but I am wasting everyone's time around here while I try to figure it out.

Thanks,
Blaine

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Jeffrey Kane - TechSoEasy

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ber8630

ASKER

Great! I will give it a try this evening sometime, as long nothing else pops up. I will let you know the progress.

Thansk,
Blaine

ber8630

ASKER

I have not forgotten you, I have been out of town for the last week and trying to play catch up.

Thanks!!!
Blaine

ber8630

ASKER

Sorry for taking so long, but I wanted to give due diligence to your suggestions. I have done everything you selected on several machines--to the letter. It does not matter what I do. I have also noticed that when I try to use the DFS MMC, I get the same error, "RPC is unavailable." So, I am increasing the points, because it seems to be affecting more than just the RSOP part of the GPMC. I was able to use the command gpresult to get the problem resolved with a couple of the machines, but as I try to trouble shoot other parts of my novice avility, the RSOP would be helpful. Of course, the DFS not working, makes me think something bigger is going on.

THANKS!!!!!
Blaine

ber8630

ASKER

Just checking to see if anyone is still out there on this. I may have to break down and call MS.

Jeffrey Kane - TechSoEasy

Did you join your remote servers to your domain following the steps outlined here: http://sbsurl.com/addserver?

Jeff
TechSoEasy

ber8630

ASKER

I have tried it using wizards as described here and using the DCPROMO command. Did not get any different results. In fact, I did one of each to see. Does that help narrow it down any?

Thanks!!
Blaine

Jeffrey Kane - TechSoEasy

Not really, since there are more steps listed in the paper than that... such as making sure that the time service is configured correctly.

Do you have GPMC SP1 installed?
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=21813

Jeff
TechSoEasy

ber8630

ASKER

I shall go re-read the document again and get back with you. Thanks for sticking with me on this.

Blaine

ber8630

ASKER

Again, thanks for the help and effort. This seems to be more closely related to the firewall. I can manually disable the Norton Antivirus Worm Protection and the RPC and RSOP start to work appropriately.

thanks,
Blaine

Jeffrey Kane - TechSoEasy

Seems as though that was the finding of someone with this same issue: http://geekswithblogs.net/jemimus/archive/2005/01/19/20374.aspx

Jeff
TechSoEasy

ber8630

ASKER

Thanks, good comments.