changing client DNS settings on win2000 server

[Guest]

after a recent reboot, my win2000 PDC has been exhibiting strange DNS-related
client behaviour. my network clients are all interacting with it OK (it is
also our DNS-server), but I cannot ping computer/FQDN (i can only ping by IP)
from the server.

i'm also getting a series of NetLogon errors and Browser Elections (#5774,
#5775, #5702, #8015 and #8035) in my Event Log.

when i nslookup clients on my network, i get messages like..

Server: resolver0.myisp.net
Address: 212.xx.36.3
*** resolver0.myisp.net can't find clienttofind.mydomain.co.uk: Non-existent
domain

...which indicates the client-side of my win2000 server has got confused and
is querying my isp's DNS (which we forward to) before it queries itself.

the thing is, I can't access the Network Settings box to change the DNS
client's server query order (and promote itself to the top, so to speak),
because when I try to launch this from the control panel (or by
right-clicking My Network Places), the screen hangs and has to be terminated
by Task Manager.

my question is :

1. is my problem related to
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/825036 ?
2. is the screen hanging of Network Settings a side-effect of this DNS
problem?
3. how do i solve this problem without using the Network Settings box? can
i edit the registry directly? which keys do i need to adjust?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kurt]

after a recent reboot, my win2000 PDC has been exhibiting strange DNS-related
client behaviour. my network clients are all interacting with it OK (it is
also our DNS-server), but I cannot ping computer/FQDN (i can only ping by IP)
from the server.

i'm also getting a series of NetLogon errors and Browser Elections (#5774,
#5775, #5702, #8015 and #8035) in my Event Log.

when i nslookup clients on my network, i get messages like..

Server: resolver0.myisp.net
Address: 212.xx.36.3
*** resolver0.myisp.net can't find clienttofind.mydomain.co.uk: Non-existent
domain

..which indicates the client-side of my win2000 server has got confused and
is querying my isp's DNS (which we forward to) before it queries itself.

the thing is, I can't access the Network Settings box to change the DNS
client's server query order (and promote itself to the top, so to speak),
because when I try to launch this from the control panel (or by
right-clicking My Network Places), the screen hangs and has to be terminated
by Task Manager.

my question is :

1. is my problem related to
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/825036 ?
2. is the screen hanging of Network Settings a side-effect of this DNS
problem?
3. how do i solve this problem without using the Network Settings box? can
i edit the registry directly? which keys do i need to adjust?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Assuming this is an Active Directory domain, You should ONLY have your
AD DNS server(s) listed. There's no "query order" in DNS, only preferred
server and alternates. Alternates are NEVER queried if ANY response is
returned by the preferred (So if your ISPs server returns NX domain,
that is accepted as the answer. It will not then query the next DNS
server hoping to get a better answer). You'll need to get into the
properties page to delete any DNS servers other than your own.

....kurt