XP and Win2K Domains

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joe
  • Start date Start date
J

Joe

With XP workstation, I can join the windows 2K domain
fine, but upon first logon, I go to change the "LOG ON
TO" box to the domain name from of the machine name and I
get a popup that says "Please wait while the domain list
is created". This takes approximatley 3 minutes and then
I can log on fine. Any Idea what causes this. Do I need
to load any add ons or any thing to the domain controlers
to manage XP workstations?

Thanks
 
Joe said:
With XP workstation, I can join the windows 2K domain
fine, but upon first logon, I go to change the "LOG ON
TO" box to the domain name from of the machine name and I
get a popup that says "Please wait while the domain list
is created". This takes approximatley 3 minutes and then
I can log on fine. Any Idea what causes this. Do I need
to load any add ons or any thing to the domain controlers
to manage XP workstations?

Thanks


This is often caused by DNS misconfiguration.
Ensure the machine is pointing at the local DNS
server which is hosting the domain.

Here's my usual lecture on the topic:

XP differs from previous versions of windows in that it uses
DNS as it's primary name resolution method for finding domain
controllers:

How Domain Controllers Are Located in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314861

If DNS is misconfigured, XP will spend a lot of time waiting for it to
timeout before it tries using legacy NT4 sytle NetBIOS.
( Which may or may not work. )

1) Ensure that the XP clients are all configured to point to the local
DNS server which hosts the AD domain. That will probably be the
win2k server itself.
They should NOT be pointing an an ISP's DNS server.
An 'ipconfig /all' on the XP box should reveal ONLY the domain's
DNS server.

( you should use the DHCP server to push out the local DNS server
address. )

2) Ensure DNS server on win2k is configured to permit dynamic updates.

3) Ensure the win2k server points to itself as a DNS server.

4) For external ( internet ) name resolution, specify your ISP's DNS server
not on the clients, but in the 'forwarders' tab of the local win2k DNS
server.

On the DNS server, if you cannot access the 'Forwarders' and 'Root Hints'
tabs because they are greyed out, that is because there is a root zone (".")
present on the DNS server. You MUST delete this root zone to permit the
server to forward unresolved queries to yout ISP or the root servers:

HOWTO: Remove the Root Zone (Dot Zone)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=298148

The following articles may assist you in setting up DNS correctly:

Setting Up the Domain Name System for Active Directory
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;237675
HOW TO: Configure DNS for Internet Access in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;300202
 
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