DNS problems after replacing Win98 clients with WinXP

Bit lost here and wonder if anyone can help...........?

We have a 2000 srvr running AD serving 13 clients o.k. all logging onto the domain. All workstations access the internet directly through the router. However we have just replaced 3 x win 98 w/s with 2 x XP pro w/s and the following problem occurs......

If we set the DNS in the w/s to that of the server all is fine except that the w/s will not log onto the internet. If we then change the dns to that of the ISP the Internet connection works fine but all the mapped drives have gone. Indeed if I open My Computer the contents are totally blank... No local drives as well as no mapped drives...???

If we then try to open explorer it begins to display the folders and stops and hangs...

This problem occurs on all 3 new XP w/s

Any ideas would be much appreciated...........?

 

This should really be in the "Windows Server Systems" forum I think.

OK let's get down to the problem.

For XP and Win2000 pcs to work properly with a Win2k/2003 server, you need to have that server as the DNS server for the client PCs.

In theory the DNS server should talk to the root servers on the internet without any other configuration, but usually it is best to set up your ISP's DNS servers as "forwarders ". Have a look at Scott's screen shot in this thread in the Windows Server System forum, to see how the forwarders should look. The IP addresses should be your ISP's DNS servers (don't have to be, but probably best that they are).

However, one thing that can prevent your DNS from being able to connect to the internet and resolve internet addresses is if the server thinks it is the root server. This gotcha I've seen a few times with 2000/2003 DNS. It occurs if you install it while the server is disconnected from the internet (a good idea I would argue), the system sees itself as the only DNS server in its universe and sets itself up as THE root server. When it is set as a root server, the DNS system on your server will not talk to DNS servers on the internet. If this has occurred, in DNS you will find a look up zone labelled ". ". This actually looks very like a folder with no name, and it is only when you look closely that you spot the dot. If you delete the dot lookup zone and reboot, DNS will start working properly. You do this by deleting that folder.

 

hi out there
You just have to let your server forward all DNS requests to your ISP's DNS servers - eg: all clients (including the servers dns client itself) points to the server - this server will then forward all non-local name requests to the ISP's DNS forwarder. You configure this by the server administrating mmc

regards /ti

 

Thanks for your help Tiwang..... It was much appreciated.

ReggieB was spot on. When we looked at the DNS forwarders again sure enough there was a "." folder. This server was configured as a root server. Having deleted that folder and restarted the DNS server problem was resolved. Never having come across this before I can only assume that previous server builds were completed while attached to the net.

Thanks again...

 

The "." root folder is an annoying "feature ". I think it is a worrying development that the designers nowadays expect computers to be installed/configured on line. Personally, I think good practice is to secure and test the server before putting it on line. If you do that with a Win2000/2003 DNS server you will always get a "." root folder. It really should be an option, and not a given if the server is installed off line.