# System Will not join the Domain (DNS Problem Maybe)



## acer_racer_2000

Hi Guys,

I recently installed Windows Server 2003 Enterprise R2 and promoted it to a domain. But when I tried to join a client PC It gave me a error.
error was: "This operation returned because the timeout period expired."
The IP Address is given by the DHCP. Here is the detailed Error msg.

Note: This information is intended for a network administrator. If you are not your network's administrator, notify the administrator that you received this information, which has been recorded in the file C:\WINDOWS\debug\dcdiag.txt.

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

The error was: "This operation returned because the timeout period expired."
(error code 0x000005B4 ERROR_TIMEOUT)

The query was for the SRV record for _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.asry.com

The DNS servers used by this computer for name resolution are not responding. This computer is configured to use DNS servers with the following IP addresses:

192.168.1.1

Verify that this computer is connected to the network, that these are the correct DNS server IP addresses, and that at least one of the DNS servers is running.

For more information on how to correct this problem, click Help.

I am also posting a ipconfig/all of the server

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : server1
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : abcd.com
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : abcd.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom BCM5708C NetXtreme II GigE (NDIS
VBD Client)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-4F-20-B5-AD
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom BCM5708C NetXtreme II GigE (NDIS
VBD Client) #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-4F-20-B5-AF
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.204.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Can somebody Please help me with this!! Its driving me mad!!!


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## LinuxHacker

Do you have 2 domain controllers or just this one?


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## acer_racer_2000

No, this is my first and only one!


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## LinuxHacker

is your server act as DCHP server or is your router handing out addresses?


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## Colossus610

I like the post title, and I would bet it is indeed DNS. Always make sure DNS is right, almost everything in ActiveDirectory is reliant upon it.
Try disabling the second Broadcom network interface on the server and check the DNS records for the server; the Server's second Broadcom NIC shows an APIPA address of 169.254.204.1, make sure that the server is not registering itself in DNS under that IP address, this could be why the workstations cant find the DC, they are on the 192.168.1.x subnet which the server might not be responding on.
All entries in DNS for the server should be the 192.168.1.1 address. If you have to use the second NIC, or want to use it for other things(but not recommended) you can go into the advanced TCP/IP properties of the second NIC card and under the DNS tab uncheck the box for "Register this connection's addresses in DNS" to keep the server from announcing this IP address in DNS.

Also, it shouldn't matter whether server or router is handing out DHCP. As long as whatever IS doing DHCP is handing out the server's IP address for the DHCP 'DNS servers' option, that's where the DHCP clients will resolve DNS from and register to.

Edit: Also, once these are cleaned up, cmd prompt 'ipconfig /flushdns' on server and workstations to clear the incorrect cached 169.254.204.1 DNS entry.

37th edit:
I also just noticed that your PC error noted _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.asry.com
ASRY.COM
yet your server ipconfig /all noted 
ABCD.COM
Definitely check your DNS


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## Courtneyc

Your problem is actually very simple. When your client starts up, one of the things it does is to look for your Domain Controller. It is the DNS server's SRV record (ldap service) that tells the client where the server is. As long as your router is showing up as the DNS server, the client will never find the server.

Here's how I would solve it:
1. Disable DHCP on the router. Enable DHCP on the server. 
2. In the DHCP options, set the router as the gateway and the DNS server (the Windows server) as the DNS server. 
3. Make sure the server has a static address (it must in order to be a DHCP server).

With this configuration, your clients will get the correct information and your network will actually be a bit faster.

Courtney


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## acer_racer_2000

Thanks for the reply guys. My server is handling the DHCP and not the router, and it uses a static IP Address.
And many of you must have noticed that the PC error noted _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.asry.com
ASRY.COM
yet your server ipconfig /all noted
ABCD.COM
I actually edited the error msg and changed it from ASRY to ABCD before posting the message, 
i didn't want to post the actual domain name, I guess u guys still figured it out. 
As for the rest of the suggestions, I'll check it out and let you guys know.
Thanks.


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