Few Win2003Server Questions

[paperfist]

Hello,

I wonder if you guys can please help me with a few Windows 2003 Server questions?

I need to add another Win XP computer to access the server. What I did on the server side is create a new user for the active directory and added a computer to the domain.

On the XP side it gave me a hard time trying to setup that computer to connect to the server. I could ping the server, but it wouldn't let me pick the domain saying it wasn't found. Am I suppose to be using the server's admin account & password on the XP machine to set it up to connect or the XP computer users account & password?

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What's the best way to rename a user? They have a few new employees that are using the old worker's XP computer along with the old name. Each XP computer is named after the employee and then it logs into the server's domain with those settings. If I rename the user on the server side and the XP side (rename the computer) I'm going to loose settings, right?

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I'm open to any websites or books that could be useful. I spent half a day searching the net and not too many sites have the info I'm looking for when it comes to Server 2003.

 

[RebateMonger]

On the XP side it gave me a hard time trying to setup that computer to connect to the server. I could ping the server, but it wouldn't let me pick the domain saying it wasn't found.

Probably your DNS settings are wrong. All of the client PCs should be using the server's DNS service as their sole source of DNS. Do you get your server's DNS server when you use enter "NSLookup" at the command line of your client computers?

What's the best way to rename a user?

If you rename the User on the server, it won't really affect anything on the client PCs (except, of course, their login name). The User objects are defined by alphanumeric IDs that are unique to each one. Their "name" is only for human convenience.

 

[paperfist]

Thanks RebateMonger.

I'm not sure about the DNS, I'll try that command out tomorrow to check.

 

[stlcardinals]

If you are going to have to rename computers, I would stick to a naming scheme that names the computer based on location instead of username especially if your company has a decent amount of turnover.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Hello,

I wonder if you guys can please help me with a few Windows 2003 Server questions?

I need to add another Win XP computer to access the server. What I did on the server side is create a new user for the active directory and added a computer to the domain.

It sounds like you added the computer using AD Users and Computers. That's why you don't see the domain in the computer's drop down. Delete the computer account from the domain using AD Users and Computers and then go over to the computer, log in locally, and join the computer to the domain from the computer (My Computer-->Properties-->Computer Name and click the CHANGE button.

EDIT: Just reread your post. If you see your domain in the list, select it, and get the error, RebateMonger's suggestion is the solution.

 

[owensdj]

Whenever I add a new computer to a domain, I do everything from the client. You don't have to add it to the domain first. blanghorst posted the instructions for adding it on the client. Yes you do use the domain admin's user name and password when you add a new computer to the domain.

It's a bad idea for computers to have the same name as users. It wasn't clear from your post if that was the case.

 

[Tbirdkid]

Just a few questions for clarification, because it matters which server os you are running.
1. Is it SBS? If so, use the internet to join it to the domain using the connectcomputer address.
2. Did you point your dns to your dns server? All machines must be pointed to the correct dns server to join the domain. If they are not, they will not dynamically register themselves in dns, and will not let you join it to the domain without it.
3. The computer, should be joined to the domain via the workstation, not the server.

 

[Chiropteran]

All the previous advice is good, just wanted to add one thing. Is the machine Windows XP Pro? You can't add an XP Home machine to a domain.

 

[paperfist]

Just a few questions for clarification, because it matters which server os you are running.
1. Is it SBS? If so, use the internet to join it to the domain using the connectcomputer address.
2. Did you point your dns to your dns server? All machines must be pointed to the correct dns server to join the domain. If they are not, they will not dynamically register themselves in dns, and will not let you join it to the domain without it.
3. The computer, should be joined to the domain via the workstation, not the server.

SBS? You got me there

Basically, I'm a noob with server OS software. I'm trying to help out a local non profit who can't afford tech support anymore.

All the previous advice is good, just wanted to add one thing. Is the machine Windows XP Pro? You can't add an XP Home machine to a domain.

Yeah it's Pro.

If you are going to have to rename computers, I would stick to a naming scheme that names the computer based on location instead of username especially if your company has a decent amount of turnover.

They don't have a high turn around, but for some reason the previous IT company used real names as if it were email and now they have say a 3rd new person in the department using a computer, account and email named after the original person who held the position. So basically they want it changed and I didn't want to do it because I wasn't sure if settings would remain.

It sounds like you added the computer using AD Users and Computers. That's why you don't see the domain in the computer's drop down. Delete the computer account from the domain using AD Users and Computers and then go over to the computer, log in locally, and join the computer to the domain from the computer (My Computer-->Properties-->Computer Name and click the CHANGE button.

EDIT: Just reread your post. If you see your domain in the list, select it, and get the error, RebateMonger's suggestion is the solution.

I did attempt to add the user that way.

From the client computer there's no drop down domain to pick, I have to type it in manually. I must be over looking something stupid...

Whenever I add a new computer to a domain, I do everything from the client. You don't have to add it to the domain first. blanghorst posted the instructions for adding it on the client. Yes you do use the domain admin's user name and password when you add a new computer to the domain.

It's a bad idea for computers to have the same name as users. It wasn't clear from your post if that was the case.

Well from what I've read so far from everyone is that what I have done wrong was to try to add the client from the server first and I also tried logging in from the client to the server using the clients log-in info that I created on the server.

So I'll go back and delete the account and computer from the server and try connecting from the client. Thanks for all the help everyone

 

[RebateMonger]

SBS? You got me there

If it's SBS, the "System Properties" will show as, "Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server". That's important to know because the management is quite different.

 

[paperfist]

If it's SBS, the "System Properties" will show as, "Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server". That's important to know because the management is quite different.

Thanks I'll check that out, but I don't remember seeing SBS on any splash screen, cd/packaging if it has it there as well.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

From the client computer there's no drop down domain to pick, I have to type it in manually. I must be over looking something stupid...

If you have XP Pro, it is there -- click the OPTIONS button on the login screen and you should see three fields: User Name, Password, and Domain Name.

EDIT: See below

 

[Tbirdkid]

If the option to put in the domain is not there, then it is not joined to the domain.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

If the option to put in the domain is not there, then it is not joined to the domain.

Yep, if the Options button won't expand and you only see two fields (User Name and Password), it isn't on the domain. OP, just follow the steps I mentioned above to join it to the domain.

 

[RebateMonger]

Am I suppose to be using the server's admin account & password on the XP machine to set it up to connect or the XP computer users account & password?

With XP Professional or the Vista or Win7 equivalents, you need to log into the desktop PC with an account with LOCAL ADMINISTRATOR rights. From there, you join the computer to the Domain. At that point, I use the DOMAIN ADMINISTRATOR account when the Domain Controller asks for an account with the rights to join the computer to the Domain. However, I believe that a DOMAIN USER account has the right to join up to ten PCs to the Domain. I've just never tried it.

 

[paperfist]

Well awesome I got it to connect! Thanks

I deleted the account & computer on the server side then logged in from the client using the server admins name & pass.

The thing with the drop down box, I thought you guys meant that would be shown while modifying the properties on the client side. I completely forgot about the log-in drop down box when the computer first starts.

Although it works I'm confused on a couple of things:

When I did nslookup I got this, "local host can't find nslookup: non-existent domain". And the domain I'm actually selecting from the drop down box is one I'm not aware of. On this new computer I added I'm connecting via a domain called 'bethi', all of the other 10 computers connect with the utazoo domain selected. While that option is available when I log on (I can pick from the bethi & utazoo domain from the drop down box) it doesn't work. I think it says it can't find that domain.

 

[RebateMonger]

I'm connecting via a domain called 'bethi', all of the other 10 computers connect with the utazoo domain selected. While that option is available when I log on (I can pick from the bethi & utazoo domain from the drop down box) it doesn't work. I think it says it can't find that domain.

If a second Domain is shown, then there must have been Trusts between the two Domains at some point. One of the Domains may not even exist anymore, but might be in the AD of the remaining Domain Controller.

 

[paperfist]

If a second Domain is shown, then there must have been Trusts between the two Domains at some point. One of the Domains may not even exist anymore, but might be in the AD of the remaining Domain Controller.

Any idea why I can't get it to connect to the domain that everyone else does? Does it even matter since it works?

Can you guys tell me of any tools that can map out all the computers on the network with some stats about them?

Thanks again everyone!

 

[owensdj]

paperfist, keep in mind that after you join a client machine to the domain you'll have two(or more) choices under the domain pull down menu at log on. One of those choices will be the name of the client computer and the other will be the domain name. Change it to the domain name to do domain log ons.

If you're picking the domain that the other machines are using and it's saying it can't find the domain, then something is wrong. For Active Directory to work correctly every machine must use the AD domain controller's IP address as their DNS Server, not the router or ISP's DNS servers' IP addresses. Your server can forward Internet DNS requests to your ISP's DNS servers.

 

[paperfist]

paperfist, keep in mind that after you join a client machine to the domain you'll have two(or more) choices under the domain pull down menu at log on. One of those choices will be the name of the client computer and the other will be the domain name. Change it to the domain name to do domain log ons.

If you're picking the domain that the other machines are using and it's saying it can't find the domain, then something is wrong. For Active Directory to work correctly every machine must use the AD domain controller's IP address as their DNS Server, not the router or ISP's DNS servers' IP addresses. Your server can forward Internet DNS requests to your ISP's DNS servers.

You are right, the name I picked from the drop down list is the client computer. The other is the domain which won't work. Using the client computer's name at log-in I'm able to access the network & its resources. I would have thought to do that I would need to be logged into the domain using the utazoo selection.

I'm stuck on what you wrote for the last part as it's a little over my head. 'utazoo' is the domain all other computer log into on the client side. As far as I could tell I can't specify from the client side an IP address to connect to as it always asks for a name.

I'll have to study the whole AD layout on the server a little more to see if I can figure out what you are saying.

Does any other this matter in figuring out my problem?

Server IP = 192.168.11.254
Default gateway = 192.168.11.1
nslookup = 127.0.0.1 'local host'

Tthat's all the info I got from the server itself. The other clients actually connect using 'utazoo.local' for a domain.

 

[owensdj]

Check your DNS server settings on the client. You can do that by typing "ipconfig /all"(no quotes) at the Command Prompt. Since your server IP address is 192.168.11.254, your DNS server must be the same. Also, check under Active Directory Users and Computers on the server itself to make sure you see that new computer in the list.

 

[Tbirdkid]

So, in response.
1. That server is the dns server with that information.
2. When selecting the utazoo, make sure you sign in with a users credentials that has access to the domain. not to the local computer. if you need to create a user on the domain to do that with, do so.

 

[paperfist]

Check your DNS server settings on the client. You can do that by typing "ipconfig /all"(no quotes) at the Command Prompt. Since your server IP address is 192.168.11.254, your DNS server must be the same. Also, check under Active Directory Users and Computers on the server itself to make sure you see that new computer in the list.

I know the new computer and user were added after I connected remotely because I checked that yesterday after the successful attempt.

I'll try that command out tomorrow when I go back.

So, in response.
1. That server is the dns server with that information.
2. When selecting the utazoo, make sure you sign in with a users credentials that has access to the domain. not to the local computer. if you need to create a user on the domain to do that with, do so.

For #2 I was trying to connect with that user's credentials (from log-in), but in retrospect it was with that user's local credentials since I did not create an account on the server side. As was advised I deleted the user & computer from the AD on the server, connected locally from the client computer using the admin name & pass.

Basically what I'm doing is logging into the clients computer using their local account. Somehow by having edited the properties as IndyColtsFan outlined I was able to connect to the server using the admin user/pass. Now each time I log-in to the client's computer I'm using local settings yet I have network access. Strange
So if I understand you I now need to either create a user on the server/domain or edit the existing one that was created remotely to fix possible errors?

 

[owensdj]

You can still connect to a file share on the server even if you're not doing a domain log in.

You do need to create a user on server for a domain, assuming you don't already have one you want to use. You don't have to create a new one just because it's a new computer on the domain. For example, you can do a domain log in as Administrator on any computer.

 

[paperfist]

You can still connect to a file share on the server even if you're not doing a domain log in.

You do need to create a user on server for a domain, assuming you don't already have one you want to use. You don't have to create a new one just because it's a new computer on the domain. For example, you can do a domain log in as Administrator on any computer.

That was it, the computer was created on the domain, but not the user. I went in and set him up and viola, connection city.

Thanks again everyone