# Cannot Join Win Server 2003 Active Directory Domain



## jackstrat (Jun 14, 2007)

I just setup a Windows Server 2003 server (Hostname MS01), including Active Directory, DNS, and DHCP. The server is on a private LAN, no other domain controllers, DNS servers, etc are present.

The private LAN includes VMware guest OSs, Windows 2000 Adv Server servers, and Windows Server 2003 Servers.

The Windows 2000 Adv Server servers join the new domain hosted by MS01, no problem.

The Windows Server 2003 systems cannot join the domain. The following message is returned:

The following error occurred attempting to join the domain ...
The specified server cannot perform the requested operation

They can resolve to the domain name, but the domain basically is refusing them from joining.

All servers have the same administrator login/password.

All servers can resolve hostnames through the DNS server. 

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Jack Loganbill


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## CronoT (May 22, 2007)

jackstrat said:


> I just setup a Windows Server 2003 server (Hostname MS01), including Active Directory, DNS, and DHCP. The server is on a private LAN, no other domain controllers, DNS servers, etc are present.
> 
> The private LAN includes VMware guest OSs, Windows 2000 Adv Server servers, and Windows Server 2003 Servers.
> 
> ...


Check your specs, but if I remember correctly, Windows 2000 Server is incompatible with Windows 2003 Server.


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## jmwills (Sep 28, 2005)

Not true. 2000 Servers most certainly exist in a 2003 enviornment. Did you add the 2000 box to the list of objects in AD?


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## jackstrat (Jun 14, 2007)

Thanks for your replies, but perhaps I was not clear regarding my problem.

My Active Directory/Domain Controller/DNS Server/DHCP Server is a Windows Server 2003 system that I just installed.

I have 10 + servers on the network. They include VMware ESX, Windows 2000 Adv Server, and Windows Server 2003. The windows servers all have the same login credentials.

The Windows 2000 servers CAN JOIN the Server 2003 domain with no problem whatsoever.

But my two other Windows Server 2003 systems CANNOT JOIN the domain. 

Jack


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## jmwills (Sep 28, 2005)

Are the two 2003 servers listed in Active Directory?


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## jackstrat (Jun 14, 2007)

Yes, I manually added them to the "Computers" folder under my domain name.

My domain name is jldomain.unisys.com. Is this multilevel name a problem?

Jack


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## jackstrat (Jun 14, 2007)

It was the Firewall. I had the Windows Firewall enabled.

Funny that it did not stop the Windows 2000 servers from joining.

Thanks again!!

Jack


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## CronoT (May 22, 2007)

The Windows Firewall is far more of a pain in the butt than it's worth. It's caused us so many problems at work.


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## jackstrat (Jun 14, 2007)

Indeed it is a pain. But I enabled all of the exceptions. But I should have known, especially since this server is Management Server, accepting tons of SNMP traps, etc from a wide variety of computers.

Thanks for the reply.

One more thing. This forum is a wonderful resource. Especially with the constant changes to windows that affect network access to computers. THANKS!

Jack


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