Vista Business unable to Join a Domain...

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We have a WIN2K3 AD Domain running great with XP Pro clients. We have just
performed a clean install of Vista Business onto a machine to evaluate before
deployment.

When we try to join the Vista machine to the domain we get an error stating
that an Active Directory Domain Controller can not be contacted. An nslookup
query from the Vista machine for the domain returns the correct ip address
for the DC.

What is interesting to note is that the Vista machine see's the other domain
computers, but interprets them as bing in a workgroup with the same name as
the domain.

IPv6 has been disabled and Netbios over TCP/IP is enabled. ISA server has
been shutdown and Vista firewall disabled.

Any suggestions welcome...
 
Post the results of ipconfig /all from the Vista pc and from a DC with DNS
running on it.
 
This is the Vista Box...

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : PM01-P4ManDir
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8169/8110 Family PCI
Gigabit E
thernet NIC (NDIS 6.0)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-E0-4C-1C-01-35
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.13(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, 22 February 2007 10:13:04 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, 22 February 2007 4:21:34 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . :
isatap.{120B1D6A-F4BE-445B-BD40-E81D709FA
5A2}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5efe:192.168.1.13%9(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes


This is the DC...

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : pm06-p3server
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
illawarra.01

Ethernet adapter LAN 1:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel 8255x-based PCI Ethernet
Adapter (1
0/100)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-68-5B-C4
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.10
192.168.1.9

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.HQIC01>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : pm06-p3server
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
illawarra.01

Ethernet adapter LAN 1:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel 8255x-based PCI Ethernet
Adapter (1
0/100)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-68-5B-C4
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9
192.168.1.1
 
I can't see anything obviously wrong there. I have a question though. Why
the two different results for pm06-p3server? In the first results you have
two DNS servers 192,168.1.10 and 192.168.1.9 In the second results it shows
192.168.1.9 and 192.168.1.1. Can you post ipconfig /all from a working XP
workstation?
 
Kerry,
The .10 machine was the old DC that died a few weeks ago. Before it died we
promoted .9 to a DC and replicated AD etc. The DNS records for .10 were
still in .9's DNS. I cleared all reference to .10 after I saw the above
result in case it was causing the problem, but alas no it wasn't.

I will send the XP info when I am back in the office tomorrow.

In the meantime, I am going to install a virtual copy of Vista on my laptop
at home and try to connect to the SBS2003 Premium AD Domain I have running at
home. Will advise how this goes.
 
What is 192.168.1.1? Is it a router. It shows up as the gateway in all the
results but as a DNS server in only one result.
 
..1 is the broadband modem/router. It does not matter if it is specified as a
dns server or not.

Working XP Client info...(this machine)

C:\Documents and Settings\SysAd>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : mandir
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
illawarra.01

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-E0-4C-CB-64-FC
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.15
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9
192.168.1.1

I had exactly the same problem last night trying to join a virtual vista box
to my SBS2003 AD Domain at home.

I also notice there is another post regarding a very similiar problem.
 
Having a non AD DNS server involved anywhere can always cause problems with
AD. The correct way to run AD is to have all the computers including servers
in the domain point to only AD DNS servers. The AD DNS server should be set
up to forward requests it can't resolve.

I don't know what the problem is in your case. I have joined Vista to
several domains with no problems. The only thing I can think of is a
permissions problem. Are you specifying the domain administrator in the
format "domain_name\user_name"?
 
That's true, but it does not appear to affect the system if the non AD DNS
server is there or not. I ahve tried it with a virgin XP Pro install and it
works with and without, but with the Vista install, it won't work either way.

Using "My Computer/Properties/Computer Name" there are two methods to join a
domain. Network ID or Change. I have been using Network ID for Vista whenI
have been getting the error. This time I tried Change and now get the
following error;

An error occurred when DNS was queried for the service location (SRV)
resource record used to locate an Active Directory Domain Controller for
domain hq.illawarra.01.

The error was: "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is
incorrect."
(error code 0x0000007B ERROR_INVALID_NAME)

The query was for the SRV record for _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.hq.illawarra.01

For more information, click Help.

Now this is where it gets more confusing... I checked the
msdcs.hq.illawarra.01 entries for ldap._tcp.dc._ and they are pointing to the
only DNS Server running on the network at the moment. When you do nslookup
from the vista box for the domain, you get the following result...

C:\Users\SysAd>nslookup hq.illawarra.01
Server: pm06-p3server.hq.illawarra.01
Address: 192.168.1.9:53

Name: hq.illawarra.01
Address: 192.168.1.9

So Vista finds the server and thereofre knows the domain name through
nslookup, can use the 192.168.1.9 DNS server to resolve names on the
domain,but then decides that it can't find a DNS server when it wants to join
a domain.

I'm stuffed if I know. The only thing out of the ordinary is that nslookup
 
It does sound like a DNS problem from the error. You didn't answer the
question though. When asked for the domain administrator credentials did you
use the format "domain_name\user_name"? I'm pretty sure by default Vista
authenticates with "computer_name\user_name" if you don't specify the domain
name.
 
Sorry, I did check that...doesn't work. When you attempt to use the CHANGE
button, Vista like XP askes for credentials and the domain name that you want
to authenticate thru. Still comes up and gives the DNS error.

The only thing left that I can try is to install an eval. copy of 2003 onto
a spare machine, set up DNS and DHCP for a dummy domain, wipe the Vista box
and install XP pro. Prove it connects OK. Install Vista on the same box
with dual boot and see what happens. Then if necessary upgrade the XP OS to
Vista with the upgrade function.

What do you think...
 
Ecopoxy said:
Sorry, I did check that...doesn't work. When you attempt to use the
CHANGE
button, Vista like XP askes for credentials and the domain name that you
want
to authenticate thru. Still comes up and gives the DNS error.

The only thing left that I can try is to install an eval. copy of 2003
onto
a spare machine, set up DNS and DHCP for a dummy domain, wipe the Vista
box
and install XP pro. Prove it connects OK. Install Vista on the same box
with dual boot and see what happens. Then if necessary upgrade the XP OS
to
Vista with the upgrade function.

What do you think...
Click to expand...

I'm having the same problem. We have a Win 2000 Server and I'm trying to
join a Vista Business machine to the domain. I Googled the error message
and those entries said the Domain Controller also has to be the primary DNS
server. I tried that but it didn't work for me. Maybe it will work for
you.

Tom Lake
 
I think that will prove that something is wrong with the Vista configuration
:-)

Vista can join a domain. I have done it many times during the beta testing
of Vista. With the RTM I've only done it a couple of times but didn't have
any problems. Your testing scenario is worth a shot. Keep everything as
simple as you can. Once you get it working start adding in things to try and
duplicate your network in the test environment. Virtual server is very
helpful. It can be slow but it allows you to sort of duplicate your working
environment with multiple servers. I use one computer for virtual servers
and another for virtual workstations. You can simulate a reasonable network
with two machines. I wouldn't bother testing the upgrade. I always prefer a
clean install to an upgrade, especially in a network environment. I wouldn't
attempt to upgrade a bunch of network clients to Vista. I would learn how to
use Vista in your environment and deploy it on new computers, leaving the
existing workstations as they are until they are replaced or you have an
application that needs Vista.
 
Thanks Tom...our server is the DC and only DNS on the network. It seems as
if Vista can't read the ldap entry in the DC folder of DNS.
 
I think I am getting closer...

I managed to get a virtual copy of Vista to join the SBS2003 AD Domain at
home. When I looked at the DNS hostnames, the .local extension had not been
created, only domainname.local. Once I created the local hostname, and
allowed the dynamic update, Vista connected immediately. When I tried this
on the production environment, it still did not work. The difference in the
production environment is that the DNS hostname is domainname.01. We did
this initially so we could use .02, .03 etc.

This is the only thing that I can see that may be causing the problem as
Vista is giving the following error;

Note: This information is intended for a network administrator. If you are
not your network's administrator, notify the administrator that you received
this information, which has been recorded in the file
C:\Windows\debug\dcdiag.txt.

An error occurred when DNS was queried for the service location (SRV)
resource record used to locate an Active Directory Domain Controller for
domain hq.illawarra.01.

The error was: "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is
incorrect."
(error code 0x0000007B ERROR_INVALID_NAME)

The query was for the SRV record for _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.hq.illawarra.01

For more information, click Help.

I guess the next question then is...is a numeric suffix allowed in a DNS
hostname, and if not how do we change the domain name. RENDOM can not be
done from the DC and unless I use one of the Virtual Servers running other
services, we can't rename the domain without adding another physical server.
 
You may get more answers by reposting this in one of the active directory or
server networking news groups.

When joining the domain are you using the NETBIOS name or the FQDN? It
really sounds to me like a name resolution problem or the Vista machine is
looking at a DNS server that doesn't have the correct SRV records. I don't
think it has anything to do with the numerical suffix but I could be wrong.
There are much better AD troubleshooters that hang out in the server
newsgroups.
 
.1 is the broadband modem/router. It does not matter if it is specified as a
dns server or not.

Working XP Client info...(this machine)

C:\Documents and Settings\SysAd>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : mandir
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
illawarra.01

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-E0-4C-CB-64-FC
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.15
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9
192.168.1.1

I had exactly the same problem last night trying to join a virtual vista box
to my SBS2003 AD Domain at home.

I also notice there is another post regarding a very similiar problem.
Click to expand...

You NEVER put the router/public DNS as a DNS point. The DHCP on a SBS 2003
server will always setup your DHCP properly if you use the wizards, so
you've had to manually put the 192.168.1.1 in it.

I'm assuming that your SBS box is 192.168.1.9, that's the ONLY DNS entry
you should have in your DHCP Service scope and should be the only one your
clients see.
 
.1 is the broadband modem/router. It does not matter if it is specified as a
dns server or not.

Working XP Client info...(this machine)

C:\Documents and Settings\SysAd>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : mandir
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hq.illawarra.01
illawarra.01

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast
Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-E0-4C-CB-64-FC
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.15
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9
192.168.1.1

I had exactly the same problem last night trying to join a virtual vista box
to my SBS2003 AD Domain at home.

I also notice there is another post regarding a very similiar problem.
Click to expand...

You NEVER put the router/public DNS as a DNS point. The DHCP on a SBS 2003
server will always setup your DHCP properly if you use the wizards, so
you've had to manually put the 192.168.1.1 in it.

I'm assuming that your SBS box is 192.168.1.9, that's the ONLY DNS entry
you should have in your DHCP Service scope and should be the only one your
clients see.
 
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