Master Browser problems

[Grant]

I have 2 domain conrolllers on my 192.168.200.* subnet.
Minnerva has 2 network cards on the same subnet.

When I do a 'net view' from any machine on my local subnet (192.168.200.* )
I can see machines from the 192.168.1.* subnet but nothing from my local
subnet, whic is very confusing.

According to "Browstat Status" - Minnerva is the Master browser. When I run
the Browstat Status command from a machine I get the following output:

-------------------------------------------------
Status for domain DOMAIN on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{51BE7C64-482B-4BE8-9A6C-8FD999C5153C}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: MINNERVA
Master browser is running build 3790
3 backup servers retrieved from master MINNERVA
\\DUSTY
\\FEEBLE
\\PAT
Unable to retrieve server list from MINNERVA: 71


Status for domain DOMAIN on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{FDF387FC-E674-480F-9BC2-65B08740E63A}
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.
-------------------------------------------------

When I run that command from Minnerva itself I get the following:

-------------------------------------------------
Status for domain DOMAIN on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{D32DD5F9-1108-4E60-B6
48-C94300A79A41}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: MINNERVA
Master browser is running build 3790
3 backup servers retrieved from master MINNERVA
\\KRYPTON
\\MINNERVA
\\NORMAN
There are 76 servers in domain DOMAIN on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{D32D
D5F9-1108-4E60-B648-C94300A79A41}
There are 3 domains in domain DOMAIN on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{D32DD
5F9-1108-4E60-B648-C94300A79A41}

Status for domain DOMAIN on transport
\Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{17C84128-D36D-4981-99
74-2616A07EE8AE}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: MINNERVA
Master browser is running build 3790
3 backup servers retrieved from master MINNERVA
\\HOTBLACK
\\ROADIE
\\KANADEMO
Unable to retrieve server list from MINNERVA: 71
-------------------------------------------------

Can anyone tell me why the heck I cant browse machines on the 192.168.200.*
subnet but I can see machines on the 192.168.1.* subnet???

And also why the other servers log the following event:
-------------------------------------------------
The browser service has failed to retrieve the backup list too many times on
transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{92D71E33-8B3A-4002-82B3-E9F712E0DCD4}. The
backup browser is stopping.
-------------------------------------------------

I bet this is all too long and no one will even get as far as reading this
line. If you are reading this then thank you. Can you offer any help on
this?

Thanks,
Grant

 

[Phillip Windell]

I have 2 domain conrolllers on my 192.168.200.* subnet.
Minnerva has 2 network cards on the same subnet.

That is the problem right there. Don't run two nics on the same subnet.
Don't run two Nics at all for that matter unless there is a very good reason
to do so.

175767 - Expected Behavior of Multiple Adapters on Same Network
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;175767

191611 - Symptoms of Multihomed Browsers
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;191611

272294 - Active Directory Communication Fails on Multihomed Domain
Controllers
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;272294

 

[Grant]

Excellent!!!! Those links had the information that sorted my problem out!

Multihomed pdc = EVIL = angry administrator.

Damn that browser problem - Ive spent a whole day hunched over this computer
uttering every possible curse under the sun and it was as simple as
disabling one of the network cards. I dont get it, surely MS would make this
browser issue more resilient than that. It all started when my backups
started failing because backupExec (Dont get me started on that because its
just HORRIBLE software) couldnt find the remote computer on our LAN.

Anyway Phillip thank you for posting those links, I owe you one sanity as
mine was a ball hair away from being lost.

 

[Phillip Windell]

There is more to it than just the browsing issue. Just by the nature of how
TCP/IP and the OS work you should not use two Nics on the same network
unless they are rigged up with Nic Teaming,...and that requires special Nics
along with the special software and drivers to make it work.

If a machine requires more that one IP# from the same network segment, then
all the required IP#s should be on the same physical Nic.