DNS zone deleted on server

In the server properties, if you select the Root Hints tab does it load?

You could use the Copy From Server option with 198.41.0.4, since that is one of the root servers you can be pretty sure it has an up to date version of the root servers :)

Anyway, when you say root zone, what zone name are you using?

Chris

Yes the root hints tab does load
I have tried to copy form server option with the following error , using the IP of my server or the ip you specified 198.41.0.4. Error  " The specified DNS server cannot be contacted to collect root hints.Verify this machine is connected to the network and the specified remote DNS server is connected and running"

thanks

Firewall rules? Do you have any Forwarders configured?

Chris

The zone I am using is the same zone name as the DOMAIN name. I have tried different names in the hope it will work, but no luck.

I am trying to add a second Server to dcpromo it but it cant see my current server.

No forwarders configured

So you haven't promoted it yet?

I would suspect you have restrictions in place on outbound DNS traffic. That would fit if your current server uses Forwarders.

If it can't see the domain, is it a domain member yet? And which DNS servers does it have set in TCP/IP configuration at the moment?

Chris

THe main server is a DC and has been promoted for a while now, the new machine is what I was trying to connect.
The current server with the DNS issue that I cant get it to be a root server when I create a new zone, has its own IP set as the DNS server in the TCP config.

Okay, well... if it isn't a DC yet you should point it at the existing DNS server (in TCP/IP configuration). No point in having it use itself when that won't have any information about AD. You could consider switching it back again after it has successfully promoted.

Once done, you should find the existing zone replicates over.

That doesn't much help with Root Hints, however I think you have something blocking the connection there. However, if your current server (current DC) has Root Hints configured you can use that IP for that in Copy From Server.

Chris

Sorry for the confusion.

I am trying to fix the problem on my DC as this seems to have the DNS problem. and this server is pointing to itself.

If I do an nslookup this is the result:
*** Can't find server name for address 192.168.10.18: Non-existent domain
Default Server:  UnKnown
Address:  192.168.10.18

That means that it cannot resolve the IP address. Do you have a Reverse Lookup Zone configured for your IP range?

And that's the one that suffers from failure when using copy from server? From that server, can you run:

nslookup www.google.com 4.2.2.4

You should get a reply if you're allowed to make outbound DNS requests.

Chris

Thats correct. I have got this configured but I will check if its working.
FYI below is the message I get from the 2nd machine trying to dcpromo. you will see the bottom, it talks about the root zone which is whats missing on the DC currently.

The domain name ABC might be a NetBIOS domain name.  If this is the case, verify that the domain name is properly registered with WINS.

If you are certain that the name is not a NetBIOS domain name, then the following information can help you troubleshoot your DNS configuration.

The following error occurred when DNS was queried for the service location (SRV) resource record used to locate a domain controller for domain ABC:

The error was: "DNS name does not exist."
(error code 0x0000232B RCODE_NAME_ERROR)

The query was for the SRV record for _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.ABC

Common causes of this error include the following:

- The DNS SRV records required to locate a domain controller for the domain are not registered in DNS. These records are registered with a DNS server automatically when a domain controller is added to a domain. They are updated by the domain controller at set intervals. This computer is configured to use DNS servers with following IP addresses:

192.168.10.18

- One or more of the following zones do not include delegation to its child zone:

ABC
. (the root zone)

For information about correcting this problem, click Help.

Ah... I see, you have a single label domain name?

Do you have a Forward Lookup Zone called "ABC" on your current DNS server?

Chris

yes I do, but it wont add the root zone when I add this forward lookup zone, as the one that was working got deleted... dont ask.

Great thanks for you help. when the DNS was deleted, it must have had a .local and after recreating this, it seems to be working OK. Although the root has not appeared, but the parts that I want working seem to be working now.
thanks for your help.