XP machine won't join domain

[JW]

I am getting the following error during the mini-setup of Windows XP
Pro after a RIPrep image has been installed via RIS:

"The domain could not be accessed due to networking problems. Would
you like to proceed for now and try joining the domain later?"

"Yes or No."

The system should be autojoining the domain. This fails regardless of
if my machine is already a member of the domain or not. I get the same
error when I try to use Symantec Ghost enterprise and Sysprep. Still,
in both cases, if I chose NO and then boot the system I am able to
join the domain each time using the same computer name and user
credentials I supplied during the install.

I would love to get this working. Any ideas?

A google search on "domain could not be accessed due to networking
problems" produced 3 people with similar problems but no sure
solution.

Any help would be great.

J

 

[James S. Borg]

I think it would be hard for anyone to assist you with this without the
sysprep.inf file text. However you should make sure of the following. The
admin credentials do not have a typo and are indeed permitted to join
computers to the domain. The computer name is not in use, I would use a
completely unique computer name that has not been used previously. The
network card drivers are correct and the card is configured correctly during
sysprep, you stated you are able to join to the domain after the computer is
through loading. I have been using this method without problems in joing the
domain for a variety of different model computers with different network
cards. Here is a sample of my sysprep.inf file. Why are you using a RIPRep
image if you are using Ghost? I would just use a RIS image configure the
workstation the way you like run Sysprep and then image it.

;SetupMgrTag
[Unattended]
OemSkipEula=Yes
TargetPath=\WINDOWS
ExtendOemPartition=1
InstallFilesPath=C:\sysprep\i386

[GuiUnattended] REM This is for the Local Admin Account
AdminPassword="password"
EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
OEMSkipRegional=1
TimeZone=35
OemSkipWelcome=1
OEMDuplicatorstring="WinXP/OfficeXP Image v.1.0"

[UserData]
FullName=""
OrgName="OrganizationName"
ComputerName=%FullName%-%MachineModel%-XP
ProductKey=?????-?????-?????-?????-?????

[Display]
Xresolution=800
YResolution=600
BitsPerPel=32
Vrefresh=85

[TapiLocation]
CountryCode=1

[Identification] REM This is the Domain Credentials for Creating the
Computer Account
JoinDomain=DomainName
DomainAdmin=Administrator
DomainAdminPassword=Password

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

[RegionalSettings]
LanguageGroup=1
Language=00000409

[Branding]
BrandIEUsingUnattended=Yes

[Proxy]
Proxy_Enable=0
Use_Same_Proxy=0

[Data]
AutoPartition=1
MsDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall=Yes

 

[JW]

I think it would be hard for anyone to assist you with this without the
sysprep.inf file text. However you should make sure of the following.

Good point. Here it is:

[data]
floppyless = "1"
msdosinitiated = "1"
OriSrc = "\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%"
OriTyp = "4"
LocalSourceOnCD = 1

[SetupData]
OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect"
SetupSourceDevice
="\Device\LanmanRedirector\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"
SysPrepDevice="\Device\LanmanRedirector\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%SYSPREPPATH%"
SysPrepDriversDevice="\Device\LanmanRedirector\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%SYSPREPDRIVERS%"

[Unattended]
OemPreinstall = no
NoWaitAfterTextMode = 0
FileSystem = LeaveAlone
ExtendOEMPartition = 0
ConfirmHardware = no
NtUpgrade = no
Win31Upgrade = no
TargetPath = \WINNT
OverwriteOemFilesOnUpgrade = no
OemSkipEula = yes
InstallFilesPath =
"\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%"

[UserData]
FullName="USer nAME"
OrgName="Org"
ComputerName ="%MACHINENAME%"
ProductID="xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx"

[GuiUnattended]
OemSkipWelcome = 1
OemSkipRegional = 1
TimeZone = 35
AdminPassword="blah"

[Display]
ConfigureAtLogon=0
BitsPerPel=32
Xresolution=1280
YResolution=1024
Vrefresh=60
AutoConfirm=1

[Networking]
ProcessPageSections=Yes

[Identification]
DomainAdmin="blah"
DomainAdminPassword="blah"
JoinDomain = %MACHINEDOMAIN%
CreateComputerAccountInDomain = No
DoOldStyleDomainJoin = Yes

[NetProtocols]
MS_TCPIP=params.MS_TCPIP

[params.MS_TCPIP]
; transport: TC (TCP/IP Protocol)
InfID=MS_TCPIP
DHCP=Yes

[NetClients]
MS_MSClient=params.MS_MSClient

[params.MS_MSClient]
InfID=MS_MSClient

[NetServices]
MS_Server=params.MS_Server

[params.MS_Server]
; service: SRV (Server)
InfID=MS_Server
BroadcastsToLanman2Clients = No

[ServicesSection]

[RemoteInstall]
Repartition = Yes
UseWholeDisk = Yes

[OSChooser]
Description ="Windows XP Pro"
Help ="This will install Windows XP Professional with apps."
LaunchFile ="%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"
ImageType =SYSPREP
Version="5.1 (2600)"
SysPrepSystemRoot="Mirror1\UserData\WINNT"

The
admin credentials do not have a typo and are indeed permitted to join
computers to the domain. The computer name is not in use, I would use a
completely unique computer name that has not been used previously. The
network card drivers are correct and the card is configured correctly during
sysprep, you stated you are able to join to the domain after the computer is
through loading.

Regarding the network card drivers...I have not included the drivers
in a specifically because the bas Windows XP RIS CD image installs and
joins the domain correctly. Should I still add the NIC drivers? If so,
what do you recommend doing. I have seen a lot of posts by users
having problems with this.

I have been using this method without problems in joing the
domain for a variety of different model computers with different network
cards. Here is a sample of my sysprep.inf file. Why are you using a RIPRep
image if you are using Ghost? I would just use a RIS image configure the
workstation the way you like run Sysprep and then image it.

Sorry for the confusion regarding Ghost and RIS. What I meant to say
is that I can't join the domain using RIS or using Ghost. I have tried
both options. The machine will accept the image but both fail during
the same stage of the mini-setup phase of sysprep (after RIS or Ghost
were used to dump the image). The machine is able to join the domain
manually after the install finishes.

One more thought. As I explore this more (keep working my way up in
image complexity from a CD base image to a image with multiple apps
and users), it seems to be working still. The final image has to have
several of the domain accounts already present because I have a ton of
picky apps that won't run in user mode unless they are first
configured with the user and elivated privs. Could the process of
joining the machine to the domain, adding domain accounts, configuring
apps, removing hte machine from the domain and then imaging be the
problem? Is there a better way to handle this?

Thanks

Jeff