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MapleLifeFlag for United States of America

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2003 server stuck at applying computer settings

I have a windows 2003 rs sp2 server running on a dell poweredge 1950 server. This server is a Domain Controller and exchange 2003 server. it is getting stuck at the "applying computer settings" stage. I have attempted to boot into safe mode with networking and it gets stuck at " setting up network connections". I'm now trying the last known good config. Any other ideas are welcome.
Avatar of Glen Knight
Glen Knight
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99% of the time the reason for this is because the TCP/IP configuration for DNS is incorrect.
If the server is the only server it should have it's own IP address in the DNS server configuration, there should be no others listed.

You will need to change these settings, if you leave it then it will eventually bring up a login box.
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boed

Disconnect the network cable and boot it into safe mode.
Boot the server into safe mode
Disable all non microsoft services using msconfig and then boot normally
This will help you identify which service is hanging the server up
ok.. this happens if the msexchangeSA.. the system attendent service is not able start. most likely becouse of
the AD not beeing available or incorrect settings.
the recomended steps are:
discobbect the Network cable reboot the server in normal mode .. server will reboot
. make sure that you have your domain controller online
connect network cable

you would have number of errors in the application logs reporting issues
if you could paster the events there.. we will move from there

loking for more info from you

thank you
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ASKER

On e thing I noticed when i boot into safe mode is if I go to contral panel-network connections nothing is there.
unless you boot to safemode WITH networking you won't see anything there
ok, booted with the cable disconnected and was able to log in. I checked the dns setting and it was set to a dns server in another domain. I changed it to 127.0.0.1 and am rebooting now.

We have 2 domains here as we have 2 separate companies.
Boot the server in safe mode and then run msconfig and disable all third party services.
Boot the server in normal mode.
If it boots then enable the service one by one and reboot and catch the cu;prit service.

>>I checked the dns setting and it was set to a dns server in another domain. I changed it to 127.0.0.1 and am rebooting now.

This will be the cause of the errors, if AD cannot find the correct DNS server it cannot start, if AD cannot start then neither will Exchange.
demazter-

I'm not totally sure this server is a dns server. After making the change and booting normally with the cable connected its sitting at the network connections box longer than normal.

I'm new to this company so some things are unknown to me.
MapleLife,

by virtue if my experience in working with exchange server .. the sysptoms you innitially posted
suggest that issue you are facing is with MicrosoftExchangeSystemAttendent service not startting
can you plase follow my previous post ans drive us to some sense ?

Thank you
The system attendent service would not cause the server to hang.  The Information Store service might but not the System Attendent Service.

Check that DNS is install goto Start > Administrative Tools > DNS
well......now it's stuck at network connections and the cable is unplugged.
I booted into safe mode and dsiabled all services. I checked the app log and here are the errors I noticed.

symantec auto protect failed to load- 22

system attendant does not have sufficient rights- 9157

dsaaccess- 2114

imap4svc- 1036
uninstall Symantec for starters.

Maybe you should enlighten us with what the Exchange problems were?
the Exchange errors are more than likely because Active Directory cannot start because it cannot find DNS

dsaaccess is becuase it cannot find a DC.
demazter- I'll get you full errors when i can. I'm the only support guy on site and am =getting pulled in many directions.
ok
here you go...

get the exchange disk and run domainprep again ..
..

......to check  domaiprep has been run
go to  the exchange cd .. search for policytest.exe

.. then to that directory in cd from command prompt then run policy test again

Run Policytest.exe, and then note which domain controllers return the following successful result:
Right found:"SeSecurityPrivilege"

........ if you get this outcome... MsexchagneSA will start.. and you are all done

please post the progress ...


thank you
this has happned becouse some one might have remove the permissions that domainprep adds when it is done
once you confirm this issue has been resolved..i will share with you in detail .. why this might have occured if you would like ...
what you are talking about is the Manage Auditing and Security permission (see for how to check it in my article here: https://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Server_Software/Email_Servers/Exchange/A_2829-Exchange-2007-Topology-discovery-failed.html)

This WILL NOT prevent the server from booting, it WILL prevent the Exchange Services from starting.
Demazter,
let us hear from Maplelife  if dcpromo has fixed the issue..
from the event 9157.. it is clear that it is a permissions issue
i am  sorry .. i meant  setup.exe /domainprep and not DCPROMO
Dcpromo??? You should NEVER run DCPROMO on a server with Exchange installed! It WILL break Exchange.

If DNS is unavailable it cannot start AD if AD is unavailable then it cannot check the permissions.

Sort AD out first then we will see if there is still a problem with Exchange.
The Exchange errors are not related to booting issue.
OK, the situation now is this. I'm lofgged in normal mode with everything 3rd party and exchange disabled


I opened dns and the only zone listed is for maplelf and not lexserv which is the domain in question now


Below are all the event log errors I'm getting.
error1.JPG
error2.JPG
error3.JPG
error4.JPG
error5.JPG
error6.JPG
error7.JPG
Create a zone in question and run ipconfig/flushdns and then ipconfig/registerdns.
Restart netlogon and dns services.
check all the records should be populated.
The issue might be due to group policy not loading due to DNs not functional.
As far as dns goes, it isn't set up on this server. There are only a couple of server entries listed in the dns console.

So I've uninstalled symantec endpoint protection and am logged back in normally. if I try and start the information store it fails and I get a slew of the exchangesa errors in the app log.
Update, once I connect the network cable after logging into normal mode users can log into the domain and no longer get a domain unavailable error. It looks like AD is ok so now it's just exchange having problems.
can you once run setup.exe /domainprep from exchange 2003 cd  . this will restore all rights required by this server only then the system attendent will start .. make usre that you are conected to newtork and booted in normal mode

before booting in normal mode unplug the NW cable as i said in the first post..

let me know if you were able to fix this issue without running   setup.exe /domainprep ....

I ran the policytest.exe and the outcome I was supposed to get happened. I see the domain and the security right correctly.
I found this article which describes to the T what's happening and the errors. I'm following the solution but I have a problem. I only see 2 of the 3 groups listed. I can not find the exchange services group.
that will not be there
you can ignore that
if you have not domainprep yet..
you might want to .. this will add the exchange server to the required groups
and you would not to do that manually
I ran domainprep and still no dice. I'm trying to run forrestprep but am getting an error


0xc0072019 unable to contact global catalog server
Here are the events I'm getting now.
error1.bmp
error2.JPG
error3.JPG
error4.JPG
error5.JPG
error6.JPG
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dhruvarajp
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