"Wait for network" policy ignored by XP client

  • Thread starter Thread starter Douglas Laudenschlager
  • Start date Start date
D

Douglas Laudenschlager

Problem: Wireless Windows XP sp2 client logs event 1054, "Can't find domain
controller," every morning at startup, presumably due to a timing issue.
Group policy refresh is aborted as a result.

Configuration: Windows 2003 Std Server Active Directory domain with wired
and wireless XP sp2 clients. Problem does not occur with wired clients.
Gpupdate and similar tests work fine on the problem client after user login.

Solutions attempted
1) KB 304970: Use local policy on problem client to enable "Wait for
network" at startup. Error still occurs.
2) KB 298656: Specify IP of DNS server. Error still occurs.

Other suggestions, please? Thanks!

-Doug
 
Hi Doug-

I would start off by running a NETDIAG /V (NETDIAG.EXE is a Support Tool) on
an affected client and search for 'fail'. If you see a failure(s) you can
post them here if the reason doesn't jump out at you.

The most common cause for this is DNS client-side settings needing to be
altered, and the NETDIAG tests are a good all around look at that.
 
Not a single failure in NETDIAG /V, plus I've already tried the solution
suggested in Q298656 of specifying the fixed IP of the local DNS server,
without resolving this error. I suspect it's largely a timing issue. Thanks,

-Doug
 
If there are no apparent failures in the NETDIAG report we can look at the
USERENV.LOG taken as you logon and reproduce the problem. If I recall
correctly the 'wait for logon' should appear in that as a process entry.

To do this, enable the logging per the article below, then logon and
reproduce the problem. Then, provided you look through the contents first
to verify you are not making public any private information, you can post
the content of that user environment creation (session) here for review if
you'd like.

221833 How to enable user environment debug logging in retail builds of
Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=221833

Please let us know if we can help.
 
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