Unable to join Windows server 2003 to SBS server 2003 domain using the connectcomputer wizard

If your SBS has been updated to Windows Server 2003 R2, and you have Broadcom NICs in either of these machines, that could be causing your problem.

If so, please update the NIC's drivers to the very latest version.

Jeff
TechSoEasy

Also... installing the Vista/Outlook 2007 update on the SBS can help with connectivity after SP2 has been installed.  Even though you are not trying to join a Vista client, it can't hurt to apply this patch:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=9BF2F1E4-1B2C-471B-A284-E0C8C169FAC3&displaylang=en

Jeff
TechSoEasy

One other hint... delete all the temporary internet files and cookies on the machine you are trying to attach.

Jeff
TechSoEasy

TechSoEasy

We just tried to get a laptop to connect using the wizard but it cant.  It used to however.  the last thing that changed was implementing AV on the server (NOD32.)  Do you think this may be blocking the wizard?

All we really need to is to join the server to the domain for terminal services.  Is there a way to manually add the server to the domain and also add the server to the RWW list?

We have not installed SP 2 yet - waiting till we get the the other server installed.  Do you think it will be a problem to update to SP2 with AV already installed on the server?

Finally, is there a log anywhere generated by this process so we could get some indication on why the wizard is failing - there is nothing in Event Viewer.

Thanks

"Do you think this may be blocking the wizard?"

I have no idea.  It's doubtful though unless the AV solution included a firewall component.

"Is there a way to manually add the server to the domain and also add the server to the RWW list?"

No.  If you are having problems with connectcomputer that would indicate other issues that need to be fixed.  Simply ignoring them and looking for a workaround would only make things worse in the long run.

"Do you think it will be a problem to update to SP2 with AV already installed on the server?"

I don't see how these two things are related.  However, you should always disable any AV software before installing a Service Pack, and then re-enable it after it's installed.

"is there a log anywhere generated by this process so we could get some indication on why the wizard is failing"

Everything is logged in an SBS environment.  The ConnectComputer wizard's log would be on the client machine at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Windows Small Business Server\Clients\SBSNetSetup.log

However, it may not provide enough info...

If you would please post a COMPLETE ipconfig /all from both your SBS and the new server that would help in determining what's going on here.  I'm suspecting it has something to do with DNS at this point.

Jeff
TechSoEasy

IPconfig for Windows 2003 Server

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : noremote
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : EHCS.local

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : EHCS.local
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC320i PCIe Gigabit Server Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-78-94-B8-CC
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.43
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.1
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.2
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.2
   Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.2
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, October 08, 2007 3:13:57 PM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, October 16, 2007 3:13:57 PM

IPconfig for SBS 2003 Server

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : noremote
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : EHCS.local

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : EHCS.local
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC320i PCIe Gigabit Server Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-78-94-B8-CC
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.43
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.1
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.2
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.2
   Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.2
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, October 08, 2007 3:13:57 PM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, October 16, 2007 3:13:57 PM

I dont know if any of this info helps:

"Everything is logged in an SBS environment.  The ConnectComputer wizard's log would be on the client machine at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Windows Small Business Server\Clients\SBSNetSetup.log"

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Windows Small Business Server\ - this folder does not exist on the Server 2003 that we are trying to join the domain with.

NOD32 does not have a firewall component.

Thanks

Unfortunately you posted the IPCONFIG for the Windows Server 2003 twice.  Please post the correct IPCONFIG /ALL from the SBS.

Let me also ask though...  did you follow the steps outlined in http://sbsurl.com/addserver to initially create the Server's AD Account?

Also, just a comment about one of your previous remarks that you may think I ignored... "We just tried to get a laptop to connect using the wizard but it can't".  I actually wonder if this is a red herring, because you haven't stated what the actual error was when trying to connect the laptop.  Often, people forget that you can only have a single network interface enabled when joining a laptop and forget to disable the wireless connection.

Jeff
TechSoEasy

Sorry,  Late nights getting old

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>IPCONFIG /ALL

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : S1
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . : EHCS.local
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
   DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : EHCS.local

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Linksys LNE100TX(v5) Fast Ethernet Adapte
r
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-18-F8-08-4B-2E
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.2
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.1
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.2
   Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 192.168.44.2

Ill check the laptop again making sure the wireless is disabled.

Also, I followed the directions in the url for creating the server account.  As a TS step, I went back and deleted that account and then created a new one - no effect.

TIA

So is the member server getting it's IP address by way of a DHCP reservation?  (Usually I'd think that when using the Add Server Wizard an IP Address you'd choose would be in the lower numbers  -- ie, 192.168.44.3).

Jeff
TechSoEasy

Y'know... this actually sounds like an issue I've seen before that can only be resolved by running a "repair install" on the new member server.  See this newsgroup thread for a similar situation and resolution:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs/browse_thread/thread/d36489e896b39b9d/9bf090b1f971f270?hl=en&lnk=st&rnum=8#9bf090b1f971f270

Jeff
TechSoEasy

Sorry it took so long to get back.  I tried to reinstall the Server OS and that did not fix the problem so I had to bite the bullet and call MS.

The MS Technician was also unable to connect using the connectcomputer wizard so he walked me through adding the machine manually to the domain by changing the computer name /network.

Upon rebooting the server, the server was listed in the RWW menu and everything is working fine.

I expressed concern that the wizard wasnt working and that the server was not completely setup because we did not use the connectcomputer wizard.  The MS Tech told me there is no difference between using the connectcomputer wizard and manually adding it to a domain unless you are going to assign a user to the computer that you are adding.