joining inot a domain problem.

**dirkpitt** · June 30th, 2003, 01:53 AM

hello all,

I've been trying to join a newly setup pc, using winxp pro on a compaq EVO desktop P4 256 RAM. everytime I tried joining the computer, I get the wrong domain. I already checked active directory, and the user is already added. still the same thing, "a domain controller for the domain xyz could not be contacted."

help, I need this up and running today!!

thanks to all

**NooNoo** · June 30th, 2003, 04:22 AM

Go through this mskb with a fine tooth comb and check what you have done

**dirkpitt** · June 30th, 2003, 04:52 AM

i'm alredy trying both, but i think the problem has somthing to do with my primary domain controller, only i can't figure it out, nslookup is supposed to show the primary controller right?, but its only seeing the secondary server, now i tried changing the 2nd into first, but still with the same results. help with active directory!

**dirkpitt** · June 30th, 2003, 05:25 AM

nslookup is showing both server now and the correct domain. but still when registering the new pc to the domain, "an invalid domain was specified. would you like to procced now and try joining a domain later?" this is during a fresh installation of win xp pro

**Low_Level_Owl** · June 30th, 2003, 07:57 AM

If I recall, it's a DNS issue.

I don't remember the exact problem.

What are you using as a DNS server?

**Matridom** · June 30th, 2003, 08:57 AM

ok, a few things here.. make sure that the computer name is NOT in activie directories (the joining process adds it for you). Your going to want to add it to the domain.. NOT the domain controller.

so if your domain controler is "DC.mydomain.com" your going to use "mydomain.com" for the domain to join.

**Six Eyed Smily** · June 30th, 2003, 12:46 PM

downalod and install netdiag from microsoft, it can be downloaded individually for free. this should show you if dns/dhcp/wins are behaving as they should do.

**dirkpitt** · June 30th, 2003, 09:12 PM

the server is win2k server, with AD and DNS.

its working ok now, after trying for 10 hours, can you guys give me the rule of thumb, just to check my procedures. I usually don't add the computer name to the AD, I just add the user name and password only in AD, then do a clean install, and then add to domain.

But for this problem, I also tried adding the computer name and user name and password to AD. still no luck, but after 10 hours of trying, I finally tried the same procedure but with a different computer name (ie. adding -1 to name = name-1) and it worked, m not sure if the (name without -1) still would not work, too tired to experiment and risk not being able to connect again. M also not sure if it only took the AD almost a whole day to refresh something I'm missing? or was it something with the DNS as low_level_owl suggested. I'm confused.

ideas are welcome.

thanks a lot guys

**CeeBee** · July 1st, 2003, 07:10 AM

On the DC get rid of the client machine (Active Directory users and computers > YourDomain > Computers)
On the client machine make sure that you get a good IP address and you can ping the DC. Make sure that MS networking component is installed and enabled for your NIC.
In a command prompt do a nbtstat -A <DC IP_ADDRESS> to see if you can get the netbios name table of the DC (you can also do nbtstat -a <DC NAME>)
If you can get the netbios table then start the network identification wizard and that should do it...
Oh, btw, when you are asked for the domain name use the netbios domain name of the DC.

**dirkpitt** · July 1st, 2003, 08:15 AM

yup, i did all of this, still had the same prob. my problem was probably due to something else

**CeeBee** · July 1st, 2003, 08:24 AM

Any firewall software running on the workstation???

**hoosier byte** · July 1st, 2003, 10:18 AM

Is this in a lab environment or a working network? It is really great how MS made the XP os such a cluster to add to their own windows 2000 domains. I had this same issue before, it ended up being where in windows I was trying to authenticate to the stupid domain. I had to do it through control panel.
Personally I will stick with Novell

**dirkpitt** · July 3rd, 2003, 11:46 PM

no firewall installed, the workstation was just clean installed for winxp. ya, i think its just a random bug. experienced the problem on a working network

**Rô©kHøµñÐ** · July 5th, 2003, 03:22 AM

Heres what i do when i had that problem.I think it was due to one of our DNS servers set to forward requests to a non Active Directory DNS Server.

Set the dns suffix of the computers network adapter to yourdomain.com

Specify any parent/child domains like accounting.yourdomain.com

Are you sure there is not a duplicate computername on the network/Doamain?

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