Cannot Join Win 7 RC to a Win 2003 Server Domain

[Guest basuone]

Help,

 

I have 50 XP computers running off a Win 2003 Server on XXXXXX.local domain. Each XP machine that is added works with no issues. I have had win 7 since 7048 build, but never tried to join my business domain to test the network features. I now have the RC build, and put it on 1 computer at work.

 

When I try to join the domain, with the EXACT same settings as before, I get the DNS failure. Please help. Thanks!

 

Domain Controller - 192.168.1.2

I can ping it from the Win 7 computer

 

Using static IP's.

 

example:

 

IP - 192.168.1.57

255.255.255.0

192.168.1.1 Gateway (on a cisco T1 router

24.92.xxx.11 - DNS (internet)

24.92.xxx.12 - DNS (internet)

 

WINS - 192.168.1.2

 

Credentials are ok and valid. The above numbers work everytime on an XP machine.

[Steve Krause]

That's very odd. The Windows 7 RC (Build 7100) I'm typing this post with right now is joined to my Corp. domain without issues. Added it the first time.

 

Machine name should not make a difference so it's going to come down to DNS, network connectivity or Permissions.

 

Are you pre-staging the machine in the AD domain? Also, are you using DHCP or did you manually configure DNS to ensure you can resolve the domain controller.

 

Also, you might try to turn off the windows firewall (however I've never had that problem on one of my boxes). Any AV installed?

 

Like I said, very odd. Anything in the event logs? (Type eventvwr in start box). Look under Application and System logs.

 

Hopefully this gives you a few things to look at. Let me know how it goes!

[shockersh]

thats really odd. i think mrgroove laid out all the easy stuff

 

but I can't think of anything else either. did you activate the windows 7 box? Perhaps you can't join it until it's been activated?

 

it could also be an issue with your domain controller..... easy cop-out i know for troubleshooting but i've added about 10 windows 7 to my domain so far with issues.

 

1 - verify DNS

2 - verify connectivity

3 - verify a healthy domain controller

4 - verify permissions

5 - check system, security and application logs on domain controller. you should see something about a failure

6 - check system, security and application logs on windows 7 client - again, you should see something not working.

 

start there (well probably start with #6)

 

that's it for me.

[Guest basuone]

thats really odd. i think mrgroove laid out all the easy stuff

 

but I can't think of anything else either. did you activate the windows 7 box? Perhaps you can't join it until it's been activated?

 

it could also be an issue with your domain controller..... easy cop-out i know for troubleshooting but i've added about 10 windows 7 to my domain so far with issues.

 

1 - verify DNS

2 - verify connectivity

3 - verify a healthy domain controller

4 - verify permissions

5 - check system, security and application logs on domain controller. you should see something about a failure

6 - check system, security and application logs on windows 7 client - again, you should see something not working.

 

start there (well probably start with #6)

 

that's it for me.

 

OK, here goes...

 

The DNS is manually done and is solely for internet purposes. The domain controller does not have a role in DNS (as I was told by my network admin a few years ago.) I have turned the Win7 firewall off. I have added the computer name to the DC AD. The event log on the DC AD shows that it can see the Win7 computer and I do not see any errors on the Win7 or DC from the event log. I added the computer as an Administrator of the domain.

 

and yet still cannot connect.

 

My XP machines look like this:

 

IP - static IP

Subnet - 255.255.255.0

Gateway - 192.168.2.1 (for my upstate office) and 192.168.1.1 (for my downstate office) (connected by 2 T1 cisco routers.)

 

DNS - 24.XX.XXX.11

DNS - 24.XX.XXX.12

 

WINS - 192.168.1.2 (that is the address of the DC)

 

When I configure the Win7 computer just like this with its own IP, I get the failure of the DNS.

 

Signed,

Frustrated and giving up hope.

[alexmvp]

I'm not an AD expert but...

 

I think your getting hung from the DNS side. Windows machines get a lot of data from DNS. That's where all the SRV records are stored, Active Directory (where is my DC) etc... I bet that's the issue.

 

I guess it should still understand WINS but I don't know how that all works. Make sure your Windows 7 box is pointed to your WINS server and Netbios is enabled on the adapter (and pointing to your WINS servers).

 

All in all, if your running AD you really should be setup to serve up DNS with your Domain Controllers as that's where all the SRV records are located and that's how AD works.

 

Also.... I don't think you can even have a domain controller with Windows 2003 unless the domain controller is running DNS. Perhaps try to manually point your Windows 7 box to the Domain Controller for DNS. See if that fixes it.