70-290 Beginner - DNS Problems

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

Hi All

Fantastic forum, the best of it's kind. Been using it for a long time now and have learnt a lot. Now I have started the 290 course I'm on totally new ground and have run into a problem. I hope one or two of you have some time to help.

Server 2003 is installed, no problem. After running through the wizard to promote the pc to a domain controller and in doing so creating AD, I'm having problems logging onto the domain I've created.

When I start the server, it boots up to the point where it's "preparing network connections". From here it just hangs and hangs. I have researched the issue myself and it seems to be a problem with the DNS server settings. I understand the servers TCP/IP DNS settings need to be set to point at it's own address, which after the wizard didn't seem to do this, I have set myself, but still the same problem. I'm wondering whether my hardware is causing a problem.

Sever connected to a 4 port belkin router (proividing DHCP) - router connected to NTL cable modem

Could it be that the router is causing a problem with automatic DNS or something?

Any response greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

Is the server multihomed? (two nics)

 

Hi

No it isn't, straight out of the mobo nic into my router

 

Probably be a good idea to turn of DHCP on the router and to configure your IP configuration manually on the server, but pointing the Server to the router for its default gateway.

Naturally, make sure they are on the same Network Address and Subnet.

Reboot and see what happens!

 

Thanks for your reply.

Ok I've done that, switched off DHCP on the router and manually configured these settings on the server:

IP Address - 192.168.2.7
Subnet Mask - 255.255.255.0
Gateway - 192.168.2.1 (The routers address)

Preferred DNS server 192.168.2.7

I entered the DNS address as I this is what I thought you were supposed to do (point it at the server). I still can't log on to the domain whether I use a DNS address or not.

And even with these static settings, the Domain Controller wizard still fails at the DNS point.

I am entering these setting when I'm logged on locally, Oddly I can ping the router but cannot get a web page.

Frustrating as I can't continue with the course until get logged on to the domain!

I hope that is clear enough for you

 

Try setting the preferred dns server setting to the address of your gateway.

 

Alright Sparky

Basically I run through the wizard, enter the domain name and so on and then the next window pops up with:

Diganostic failed

None of the DNS servers used by this computer responded within the timeout period interval

The SOA query for_ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.contoso.com to find the primary DNS server returned:
This operation returned because the timeout period expired.
(error code 0x000005B4 "ERROR_TIMEOUT")


Any help to you?

 

Yeah I tried that just now and realise I can get a web page that way, still no joy on the domain issue though

 

As he is setting up Active Directory, which relies on an internal DNS structure being in place. Internal name resolution is provided by, well in this case.. his new domain controller. So, the server and all other client PCs should have the domain controller static IP address as their preferred DNS server.

The default gateway.. in this case is his router but he still wont have Internet access because external DNS requests wont be resolved until some configuration has been done, for example setting up DNS forwarders for external name queries.

I agree that in this scenario, the server should be configured as the DHCP server, with a scope for the local devices, not the router.. you should also exclude a small range to be used with static IP addresses. And, configure DHCP options to pass out the correct DNS/default gateway information to the clients.

The suggestion (by Sparky) to start over, after the server has been given a static IP, DHCP and scope options have been configured properly is a good one.

 

I have to agree with Sparky, the LDAP etc message is what DNS uses with AD to pretty much do everything.

Best bet is to reinstall mate.

 

Yeah I was starting to think of doing that. Will do.

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

 

Sorted.

Fresh install - Static IP addressing - Pointed DNS at the system IP - Ran DCPROMO - Done.

The only things that I can pin down as the possible cause of the initial problem are:

a) I had DHCP running on my router when I first ran the wizard

b) The server was set to obtain IP automatic when I first ran the wizard

They are the only things that I did differently this time round, apart from downloading and installing around 78 automatic updates.

Onwards!

Thanks guys

 

Well done

 

Seconded. You've found out one of the secrets that often takes people years to learn - its usually easier to just reinstall from scratch when something goes tits-up

The reason I posted earlier about multihoming is that I've seen DCs with two NICs in them cause all sorts of problems with DNS and, since this is a home lab, I figured that might be your problem. Another thing you could have tried would have been to boot the server without the NIC connected (done this many a time to resolve stinky problems with AD replication)
and then assign a static IP, reboot and then run DCDIAG and NETDIAG (tools available in the server resource kit). That might actually have been a useful exercise for you as you will definitely be using these tools in the real world to troubleshoot AD/DNS

Anyhoo - glad you got it sorted