Login to windows 2003 server too long....

[infernoo1]

My windows XP desktops are taking a very long time to login to Windows 2003
server Small Business Edition. Is there something going on in the
background when they are trying to connect? A service? pulling something
from the server?


Thanks.

 

[Dusko Savatovic]

When logging on to Win2003 domain clients may get following content from
Win2003 domain controllers (and other optional servers on the network):
a) group policy objects:
- registry settings
- contents of SYSVOL share
b) logon scripts from NETLOGON share.
Optional content:
c) Profile (if roaming profiles were set).
d) Synchronized contents (if offline folders were set).
e) antivirus definitions (if AV protection is set)
f) other optional components and third party products/services (like
Messenge Service etc).
g) unwanted services (adware, spyware etc).

This is the list and you should direct your trobleshooting efforts in this
direction.
There are many tools available that may help you diagnose the problem. Here
are some:
- Windows 2000 and 2003 Resource kit tools for diagnosing domain
controllers.
- Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) for diagnosing, reporting and
modeling GPO.
- Sysinternals tools (filemon, regmon) to see which files and reg keys are
accessed at certain point in time.
- Network monitor to see which packets arrive to and leave your system. You
can run this tool in Win XP to capture network traffic to a file. You may
later analize captured file on a server.

Dusko Savatovic

 

[Rob Elder, MVP-Networking]

Make sure your DNS is pointing to the server that is hosting your AD
namespace. You should also be using a FQDN for your namespace, not a single
word.

 

[Shane Brasher]

Hello All,

As a general rule, a very basic setup of one server with AD and DNS is as
below.


Active Directory with DNS on the same server.

TCP/IP settings

1.)Right click "My network places" and select properties.
2.)For the LAN connection right click and select properties.
3.)On the properties page double click TCP/IP
4.)At the bottom of the protocols page select Preferred DNS Server option
and enter the IP address for the server itself.
5.)Click the advanced button. In the advanced setting make sure the
"Register this connection's address in DNS" selection is checked at the
bottom of the display.

DNS settings

1.)Open up the DNS console.
2.)Once opened, right click on the server in the right hand pane and select
properties.
3.)Once the properties page is up, select the "Forwarders" tab.
4.)Check the "Enable forwarders" selection at the top.
5.)Add the IP address of the DNS in which to forward requests. If this is
the only DNS , add the IP address for the ISP's DNS. (note- In the TCP/IP
settings, we selected the choice for DNS to point to itself. If name
resolution cannot be resolved then a request is made to the forwarders. If
resolution cannot be made via the internal DNS and there are no forwarders
listed, then resolution will be made via the root hints.
6.)Click OK.
7.)Expand the "Forward Lookup Zones"
8.)If there is a folder with a dot "." listed then delete it. (note- This
indicates to the server that it is the root server, which means do not go
beyond this server for name resolution.)
9.)Right click the domain folder and select properties. Make sure that
"Allow dynamic updates is selected."

Close out the DNS console.

Open up a command prompt and type the following:

1.)At the prompt type ipconfig /flushdns and wait for the services to
flush.
2.)ipconfig /registerdns wait for the services to regiser.
3.)net stop netlogon
4.)net start netlogon

If you receive an error during this process go to control panel, admin.
tools, services. Make sure the DHCP client service is started, even if
they are not using DHCP they still need the service started. Once all of
this is done. Open the DNS console again. Expand the forward lookup zones,
then expand the domain folder. You should see the underscore folders below:

_msdcs
_sites
_tcp
_udp
_DomainDNSZones
_ForestDNSZones

Shane Brasher
MCSE (2003,2000,NT),MCSA Security, N+, A+
Microsoft Technical Support

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.