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XP clients slow loading personal settings, Exchange installation/configuration, MX Records ???????

Hi,
I've just finished setting active directory on a Windows 2003 server.
***For some reason when the clients join the domain, it's taking 10 to 15 minutes to load a personal profiles. This is happening EVERY TIME a user logs in. I think local profile and domain profiles are conflicting. Any ideas how I can fix this. I ran dcdiag and Netdiag and no errors, all passed.
***My second part is planning for Exchange installation, this is the first and I wanna do it right. Any tips and bits will be greatly appreciated. Especially setting up the MX Records and the basic preparation.
***Final question; can exchange and AD be installed on the same partition or different partition on the same server. Microsoft recommends setting up two exchange servers, does this depend on the size of the company? We've less than 100 users but might increase soon. Let know me if you need more info.
Any manuals or web links are appreciated.

Thanks

DCProfessional

First: That is generally from a large profile being loaded or DNS issues. Is the domain controller the primary dns for the machines? In active directory, are they using local or remote (roaming) profiles??

Second: is this an SBS or standard server? With MX records make sure the rDNS (Resolving IP to a host name) matches the MX record (EG, mail.yourcomapny.com points to IP 12.34.56.78 and 12.34.56.78 reverses to mail.yourcompany.com ) if they don't, then you will be rejected by a lot of ISP mail servers. Also, make sure to only allow relying from specified addresses. It's under the exchange manager, connectors, default (maybe virtual) smtp connector, right click and hit properties, (security? i think) and then relay) This setting only allows mail to be sent from whitelisted IPs only -- prevents spammers from using your mail server.

Last: I would recommend it being on it's own server -- mainly because if it isn't an SBS box I don't find having exchange and ad on the same machine. The two servers is mainly for load balancing and redundancy. Exchange can take a major toll on a servers resources...so thats another good reason to have it on it's own box.

For a company your size, it should be fine on an single exchange server.

timnjohnson

ASKER

(1)- Is the domain controller the primary dns for the machines? Yes.
(2) -In active directory, are they using local or remote (roaming) profiles? I would like to use domain profile rather local profile....I just need to find out how to change to domain profile.
(3)-Second: is this an SBS or standard server? It's Windows 2003 Enterprise server.
(4)- With MX records make sure the rDNS (Resolving IP to a host name) matches the MX record (EG, mail.yourcomapny.com points to IP 12.34.56.78 and 12.34.56.78 reverses to mail.yourcompany.com ) if they don't, then you will be rejected by a lot of ISP mail servers. Is this (12.34.56.78 and 12.34.56.78) a standard IP address for Exhange? Our AD is also our Primary DNS Server....I have our local DNS, our public domain and ISP ip address. When it comes to Exchange how do you group these pieces?
A bit new with Exchange but I'll get there.

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ormerodrutter

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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

timnjohnson

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