Connecting clinet machine to mailserver

[aminf13]

Hi everyone,

I'm having a really annoying problem with connecting my client machine to the mail server. I have followed instructions ont the Benchmarking Guide, but when I try to connect my client to mail server, I get the following error message:

A domain controller for domain mailserver0 could not be contacted.

I tried both full and shortnames for mailserver0, disabling my other network interface (I have two on the client machine), but kept getting the same error. I would appreciate it if some one can help me resolving this. The "Details" are:

The following error occurred when DNS was queried for the service location (SRV) resource record used to locate a domain controller for domain mailserver0:

The error was: "DNS name does not exist."

(error code 0x0000232B RCODE_NAME_ERROR)

The query was for the SRV record for ldap.tcp.dc._msdcs.mailserver0

- The DNS SRV records required to locate a domain controller for the domain are not registered in DNS. These records are registered with a DNS server automatically when a domain controller is added to a domain. They are updated by the domain controller at set intervals. This computer is configured to use DNS servers with following IP addresses:

172.18.0.22

192.168.1.10

- One or more of the following zones do not include delegation to its child zone:

mailserver0

. (the root zone)

[James Zubb]

Looks like it is one of two possibilities. Either you haven't set your client to use the mailserver as the DNS or you didn't install DNS when you ran dcpromo to setup AD.

Since you mentioned you have 2 NICs in your client you will need to make sure that the mailserver0 DNS is the one used. You can either remove all other DNS servers from the TCP/IP settings or you cab set the NIC order.

To set NIC order:

Settings > Network Connections

Advanced > Advanced Settings

Set the connection order so the one connected to mailserver0 is the first one.

[aminf13]

Well, I think I did both of these things: I installed the DNS service while upgrading to domain controller and I can see DNS service up and running. I also disabled my other NIC when trying to connect to mailserver0. The result is the same: no connection.

Amin

[James Zubb]

Can you follow this KB article and see if your DNS is setup correctly:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816587

[aminf13]

I checked that and it seems to be correct (see attached screenshot)

[James Zubb]

What DNS server do you have set on that system? Should be set to 127.0.0.1

The defaul servers are unavailable error shouldn't be happening.

[aminf13]

I set it to 127.0.0.1, but now I get an error messages: DNS request time out. (Attached screenshot). I would appreciate it if you can explain how I can resolve this.

[James Zubb]

Do you have a forwarder setup on the DNS server? If you do remove it.

Open Properties of the Server from DNS manager and select the Forwarders tab.

[aminf13]

No, I haven't modified anything. I just let the Active Directory setup install the DNS service for me, and that was it. Do I need to do anything for DNS after installing Active Directory? The Benchmarking Guide document didn't have anything regarding how to properly setup DNS...

[aminf13]

Sorry I didn't mention this, I checked and there are no forwarders setup.

[James Zubb]

Hmm, no idea why you are getting DNS timeout then if there are no forwarders. What does ipconfig /all give?

You could try your client again and see if it is working.

[aminf13]

The client still doesn't work. I really need to get this thing working. Any other idea's? The guide doesn't say anything explicit about how to set up DNS. Is there something missing in the setup procedure for Active Directory?

[James Zubb]

Nothing else needs to be done. Try having the client system rejoin the domain. Make sure only the mailserver is listed as a DNS server.

[aminf13]

I'm still struggling with this problem. Here is the output of ipconfig /all. I really need to get this thing to work. I would appreciate your kind help.

Thanks

[James Zubb]

Post ipconfig /all on the client

[aminf13]

ipconfig /all on the client. Please note that the defualt gateway is not set. Also, on the mail server I still receive the DNS request time out error message when I run nslookup.

[James Zubb]

Looks like your client is in the hicampsystems.com domain when it needs to be in the mailserver0.hicampsystems.com domain. Join the client to the mailserver0 domain.

The FQDN of the client should be client0.mailserver0.hicampsystems.com

I believe you are getting the DNS timeout from the mailserver because you have a DNS Suffix Search list that includes hicampsystems.com, but I am not sure.

[aminf13]

I'm not understanding your comment. I AM trying to join the client to the mailserver0 domain but it keeps complaining that no domain controller for this domain could be found. Should I go and manually change the Primary DNS Suffix for the client to be: mailserver0. hicampsystems.com, or should it automatically change after joining the domain? Again, my problem is that I CANNOT join the domain.

[James Zubb]

Can you ping the mailserver from the client?

Is the client joined to a domain now? If so change it to workgroup reboot and then try joining the mailserver0 domain.

[aminf13]

Yes, I can ping the mailserver from client. When I try to join, it keeps saying no domain controller for this domain can be found. I need help in making the client see the domain controller.

[James Zubb]

You can ping the name mailserver0?

Are you using the name mailserver0 for the domain you are trying to join?

Post a pic of the Computer Name tab of System Properties from the client.

[aminf13]

Yes, I can ping mailserver0 from client

Yes, I'm using mailserver0 as the domain name to join.

Attached is the snapshot of all the related windows.

Thanks for your kind help.

[James Zubb]

Does mailserver0.hicampsystems.com work for the domain name?

Unfortunately I have no idea what is going wrong, might need to reinstall.

[aminf13]

No, that doesn't work either. What do you mean by re-install? I have re-installed Active Directory for mail server three times now, starting from the clone that I created according to the guide. Do I have to re-install something on the client side? Please advise. It is imperative for me to get this thing to work.

[James Zubb]

Post the output of dcdiag and netdiag from your mailserver.

I really have no idea what is wrong with your setup, looks correct to me.

You could contact Microsoft support about this.

[aminf13]

Here are the outputs. I don't understand, I'm following the instructions in the Benchmarking Guide step by step, exactly as described. Wh can't I get the client join the domain? What does this have to do with Microsoft? Hasn't anybody else had this problem?

[James Zubb]

You have any errors in your event viewer? Your browser service doesn't appear to be working. Do you have another system on the network with the same name?

I mentioned contacting Microsoft because you are having Windows issues.

Do you have any firewalls between the the client and mailserver?

[aminf13]

Which Event view? Event Viewer for DNS?

I don't have any other system with the same name. There is only one VM with name mailserver0. (I just have a single Tile)

[aminf13]

I have bunch of warnings in the DNS event viewer. Attached is a screenshot. Please kindly let me know if you can thing of something that solves the problem.

[James Zubb]

I have no idea what is wrong with your setup. Never seen anything like it.

Try

dnscmd /Config /BootMethod

dnscmd is part of support tools. What version of windows are you using? 2003 R2? Have you updated it?

[aminf13]

It says "Registery property Bootmethod successfully reset. Command completed successfully".

The OS is windows 2003 enterprise edition 32-bit, it's NOT R2.

Who else can I contact to resolve this problem?

[James Zubb]

I guess that didn't fix it?

You would have to contact Microsoft.

[aminf13]

No, it did not. What should I see if I run nslookup on my client? Right now, I receive two "DNS request time out messages"

[James Zubb]

You should be able to run the nslookup commands specified in the KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816587 like you did on the mailservers.

What is your physical network look like? Are you connected to the same switch that your ESX is on or is there a router in between?

[aminf13]

Well, I think this is the source of the problem. I cannot run the same commands in the nslookup of the client. I get DNS request time out errors.

I don't have a switch. My client is directly connected to my server box with a cable (I'm setting up a single Tile). I can ping all the VMs from it, including the mail server.

[James Zubb]

Can you telnet to the DNS port on the mailserver? ('telnet mailserver0 53')

Could you check the DNS tab of the advanced TCP/IP settings on your client and post a pic?

[aminf13]

No, I cannot Telnet to the mailserver.

Here's the screen shot.

[aminf13]

Actually, I tried the same nslookup and telent commands on my standby0 machine. The result is the same. I think the problem is on the mail server side. Is it possible that DNS requests are some how blocked in the mail server, say windows firewall blocks them? How can I know if the DNS server is receiveing requests over the network?

[James Zubb]

What does this command output on the mailserver:

netstat -a -o -n | findstr /i listening | findstr :53

There shouldn't be a firewall on the mailserver. If there is disable it.

[aminf13]

Geez, I think that was it! I disabled windows firewall in the mail server and could join mailserver0.hicampsystems.com! I don't remember reading anything in the guide that explicitly says "Disable windows firewall". Well, thanks so much! How can I check (on the mail server) to see if clinet is actually joined?

[James Zubb]

Administrative Tools > Active Directory Users and Computers

It will be listed in the Domain > Computers folder

[aminf13]

Thank you so much. I appreciate your patience and all the effort in resolving this.

[mcasekar]

Hi Amin,

Can you change your DNS server address from Loopback to the actual server IP. For example: DNS IP as 192.168.10.10 and do restart the dns service and try to ping and update the results to us.

If you feel its a valid help/response, do not forget to provide the points.

Regards,

Rajasekar