Missing DNS records on WIN2K3 Server

I just realized another thing.  Under the advanced TCP/IP setting DNS tab, the "Register this connection's addresses in DNS" was not checked.  Also there are no DNS servers listed.  All of my clients that do seem to be working have this information provided (DHCP).  Does this mean there is a DHCP issue?

Is DHCP handleing the registration of dns records on behalf of the clients? Also check that the NIC properties of the 2 clients and make sure there are not entries for a dns suffix. Also, on th client what does an ipconfig -all display? Is it show the correct FQDN info? Try running a nslookup on those clents as well.

Does it work if, on the Win 2k client PC, you manually set "Preferred DNS server" as the IP address of one of your DC's?

To get to that setting:
My Network Places -> Properties -> Ethernet Cable Connection -> Properties -> Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) -> Properties
Then set the radio button to "Use the following DNS server addresses" and enter the IP address of the DC.

Based on what you said about the DNS info not in TCP/IP properties, I'd say make sure that:

a) they are getting a DHCP address from the correct DHCP server (ipconfig /all)
b) if they are, check DHCP and make sure the scope they are getting them from is correctly set with the right options
c) check for their lease in DHCP and delete it, then reboot their computer

I can manually set my DNS servers, but now I question if they should already be listed there if I use DHCP.  Should I already see them listed if am using DHCP?  I checked a few other clients and they do not have any DNS servers listed in the preferred dns servers section.  However, they work fine.  If I ipconfig /all, I see my DNS servers.

Now on the 2 clients in question, I must have a dns suffix in place: domain.com in order for them to get to our company intranet.  What I don't understand is why the Register this connection's addresses in DNS" is not selected.  These areas would get filled out on the DHCP server correct?

I have deleted their dhcp leases and rebooted same situation.

Forcing them to "domain.com" and checking the "register this connection in DNS" will register it in the Primary DNS server that is listed under ipconfig /all if then Primary DNS server has a forward lookup zone for that "domain.com", otherwise it will fail (for obvious reasons).

The advanced settings don't get "filled out" by a DHCP server by default.  By default the DHCP server may hand out something like the DNS server IP addresses, and the DNS search suffix, but the computer itself will try to register it's A record based on its FQDN.  So if it is on the "domainB.com" domain, and its FQDN is host1.domainB.com, it will try to update an A record for host1 in the forward lookup zone of "domainB.com" on the Primary DNS server that it is using.

So basically, if your DNS forward lookup zone is "domain.com", and those 2 clients are in a workgroup or another domain, you'll have to set their DNS suffix in the advanced tab to "domain.com" and if you DON'T check "register this connection in DNS" and "use this connection's suffix during registration" then it won't put A records on your DNS server in that "domain.com" forward lookup zone.

Is there away to place a check in the "register this connection in DNS" and "use this connection's suffix during registration" without touching each computer to prevent this issue?  Group policy?

But are the 2 PCs in the domain that all the others are in?  I guess I'm confused as to why you are adding the DNS suffix in the advanced tab.  Can the other computers get to the company intranet just fine?  If so, why can they and not these 2?

The 2 PCs are in the same domain and we only have one domain.  It does seem strange, but when I removed the suffix the client could not get to our Intranet even after a reboot.  So I added it back and the client could get to the Intranet.  If I only have one domain, I should not need a suffix is that correct?

Here are the results to TheCleaner suggestion/request:  The DNS Suffix Search List has an extra entry.  This would be the additional DNS suffix that would be required for the 2000 client to access my intranet server which is part of domain.com whereas my clients are part of home.domain.com


****** CLIENT IN QUESTION - 2000 *******

C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

        Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : win2000
        Primary DNS Suffix  . . . . . . . : home.domain.com
        Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
        IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home.domain.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : home.domain.com
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast Ethernet
Controller (3C905C-TX Compatible)
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx
        DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : xx.xx.x.xx
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : xx.xx.x.x
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : xxx.x.xxx.x1
        DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : xxx.x.xxx.x1
                                            xxx.x.xxx.x2
        Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : xxx.x.xxx.x1
        Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, December 08, 2006 5:33:18 PM

        Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, December 16, 2006 5:33:18 PM

C:\>nslookup win2000
Server:  dc1.home.domain.com
Address:  xxx.x.xxx.x1

Name:    win2000.home.domain.com
Address:  xx.xx.x.xx


***** WORKING COMPUTER - XP *******

C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

        Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : winxp
        Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . : home.domain.com
        Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
        IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home.domain.com
                                            home.domain.com
                                            domain.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : home.domain.com
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/1000 MTW Network Connection
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : xx.xx.x.xx
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : xx.xx.x.x
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : xxx.x.xxx.x1
        DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : xxx.x.xxx.x1
                                            xxx.x.xxx.x2
        Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : xxx.x.xxx.x1
        Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, December 08, 2006 2:03:54 PM

        Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, December 16, 2006 2:03:54 PM

C:\>nslookup winxp
Server:  dc1.home.domain.com
Address:  xxx.x.xxx.x1

Name:    winxp.home.domain.com
Address:  xx.xx.x.xx