Cannot Join Domain: "There is already a computer in the domain..."

I've got a rebuilt computer that cannot join the domain. When I try to join, the system says..... There is already a computer in the domain ABC with that name, do you want to use that. ..... Then, after entering YES, i get the message .... there is no domain named ABC. I've tried a simple join and I've also tried using the wizard to join. Both fail. At some point in the process, the workstation cannot find the domain.

From the computer, I can see the computers in the domain. I can also ping them by name... so DNS is working. Also, the workstation is being assigned an IP address within the proper range by the domain controller. I can "connect" to any computer in the domain EXCEPT the domain controller.

I've never seen the problem before.

TIA for any suggestions.

 

Can you confirm which OS the rebuilt PC is running: the fact you are using a wizard to join the domain suggests that it is XP.

When you say you can ping them by name, which name are you using? If it is in the form mycomputer.mydomain, then you are testing DNS. If on the otherhand you are using just mycomputer, you are not testing DNS as the system can resolve that name with a Broadcast or WINS lookup.

My gut feeling is that this is a DNS problem. Can you give us a printout from an nslookup of the domain controller's IP address from the rebuilt PC. For example:

nslookup 10.0.0.1 > output.txt

Will output an nslookup of the PC with the address 10.0.0.1 to a file called output.txt.

 

The workstation is win2k sp4. You're correct in that I just used the WS name to ping other computers.

I've looked at IPconfig /all and don't see any differences in the various assignments from a working workstation ... with the exception of the local IP address and the MAC address. The workstation can talk to any other computer on the network .... except the domain controller.

I did think about DNS problems and looked at the DNS server data for both forward and reverse lookups. The information was correct. I stopped and restarted the DNS server. I've also released the workstations IP setup and renewed it.

Brought up another new computer this morning. Had no problems connecting to the domain or connecting to the domain controller.

This is driving me crazy. I'll try your suggestion, but won't be able to until Monday.

 

Did you try changing the name of that workstation?

 

ReggieB

Here's the output of command nslookup 192.168.0.10 (the domain server address)

Server: marshallserver
Address: 192.168.0.10

Name: marshallserver
Address: 192.168.0.10

Here's the address for nslookup 192.168.0.83 (the workstation)

Server: marshallserver
Address: 192.168.0.10

Name: reception
Address: 192.168.0.83

This is getting frustrating. I can access files and directories for other computers on the domain. I can even access files and directories on the server .... but only if I use the IP address for the server. When I try to access the server by name (from this computer only) I get the message \\marshallserver is not accessible. why can I access the server by IP address and not its name using Windoze Explorer.

I have tried renaming the workstation. I have tried having the server create a networking disk to join the computer to the domain. I have restarted the domain server. I've shut down the workstation and then restarted. I can ping the server by.... ping marshallserver.marshallelectronics.local. works fine.

 

OldBob, check your hosts and lmhosts file on the client for any incorrect entries espcially any lines containing #PRE and #DOM.

 

OldBob - sorry for the delay getting back to the thread: I've been away.

Those outputs look fine. In the good old days of NT4 we could rule DNS out, as the problem seems only to be with the NetBIOS names rather than the fully qualified DNS name. However, with Active Directory, it's not so simple.

Are you running WINS? It may be a problem there if the check of hosts and lmhosts doesn't bring up anything (nice suggestion krooger).