# "network accounts are unavailable" on new mac mini with 10.8.4



## HQ21 (Feb 13, 2013)

I need a hand here. I've got an on-going issue that I can't seem to resolve. I'll apologize in advance for the lack of correct technology terminology. I work at a high school that is about 80/20 split with 80% Mac's and 20% HP's. We are in the process of getting new equipment in and I'm sort of in charge of setting it up etc. The first issue I have is with a fleet of MacMini's we just got in. I set the admin account up, went into system preferences and bound it to the network etc. all works great. Now, a week or so later I'm getting calls on these Mini's that when a user goes to log on they get a red dot next to name and a message appears "Network Accounts Unavailable". The way I've been fixing this is by logging in as admin, going to system pref- users & groups-login options- unlock the lock- and then even though the "network account server" is green LAN I continue to click on edit. The next window is a small rectangle window that has LAN with a green dot and says in smaller writing Active Directory Domain. Below this is a + and - along with a button "open directory utility" and another button "done". If I click on Open Directory Utility I get a box with services, search policy, and directory editor. And then listed, but grayed out (until you unlock the lock) is Active directory, LDAPv3 and NIS. Above the lock is a grayed out pen. If you unlock the lock, and high light AD and then click on the pen another box opens up that lists the active directory forest, AD domain and computer ID. Below is a button "UNBIND" and show advanced options. What I have been doing is unbinding, putting in the credentials, and after I hit enter a box pops up and says "Unable to access domain controller" force unbind or OK. I choose force unbind. From there I re-add active directory domain info and bind it again. This will work for the rest of the day, or maybe a few days but it never fails a call will come in that they can't log in with their network accounts. HELP!!! * as a side note this doesn't just happen on one machine- it's happening on a handfull of them.
On this specific mini it's running 10.8.4. Thanks for any help or suggestions. 

As a side note- normally this process is easy as 1,2,3 and I've been wondering how to set up the new HP desktops to do what the Mac's do- as far as a user signing in and having their network folders show up by default. Is there a script that needs to be added or what do I need to do when setting up these new desktops? I'm new in this position and I need/want to document everything- I'd just like to make sure what I'm documenting is accurate. 

Thanks guys!


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