Aaaargh Win2k Server + Win2k Workstations!!!

Just set up server with dhcp and active directory service + several workstations that use win2k pro.

I'm not used to win2k server and its getting very annoying.

Services are running ok on server and workstations can see each other ok, BUT, theyre supposed to be assigning themselves ip's from DHCP but they aren't at all, just assign themselves their own IP's.

Consequently I cant proceed to get them setup to log in using the PDC for securities and usernames etc. I also am having trouble seeing where I switch the workstations over to use the domain partly because I know theyre not using the dhcp (verified in ipconfig and they fail trying to ping server.

cards are good, cables are good, hub is good, server is good as far as I can see. (dhcp statistics not showing any activity).

Where do I go from here????

 

What IP address scheme did you use in DHCP?
Did you look in event viewer? anything weird going on?

 

questions

1. What is your IP address scheme?

2. Did you set each workstation to dhcp, did you remove the default gateway and dns info from each pc?

3. Do any of the pc's get a server assigned ip?

4. How do they see each other? What other protocols are installed.

5. Did you set the pc's to log into your new domain? (right click my computer select properties networking id tab properties button)

6. Is the DC using a fqdn (fully qualified domain name)

7. what is the name of your domain, what are your PC's set to log into?



Let me know...

 

Sounds like it is just a matter of joining your Pro workstations to the domain. Right lick on My Computer, select the Network Identification tab and click the Properties button.

From there change setting from Workgroup to Domain, type the name of your domain and click OK. You will be prompted for a valid username and password on the domain that has the authority to create computer accounts in Active Directory. Type that info in, reboot and you should be good.

 

While were on the subject of joining a domain.
Let me throw a hypothetical out here.
If I want to bring a win2k box into a domain that was formerly a stand alone or in a workgroup. For example bring a box from home and put it in a domain environment.
How do I keep from loosing the desktop settings and documents?
Every time I have done this it's a mess.
Thanks for the help.

 

Ok, let me see if I have the details right. You're logging into W2K locally (using a local account) when the computer is in a workgroup. When you join the domain, are you still logging locally using the local account or are you logging on to the box using a domain account?

Unless you delete the profile of the local account of your box, you will not "lose" your desktop settings and documents. If you log on using a domain account, your local settings and doucments are still on your box but they're just in another profile. Each time you logo on to Windows NT/2000, it looks for a profile matching your user account (more accurately it looks for the account SID). If it does not find one, it creates a new profile from the Default User profile as a starting point. Even if your local and domain account names match, two separate profiles will be created because they are not actually the same account and have different SID's.

Hopefully this didn't confuse the issue.

 

I know exactly where your comming from. This is a one time deal and you hit the word on the head that I couldn't think of "profile "
How do I get a copy of that profile before the box joins the domain so it won't be lost?
Once again joining the domain or changing the domain is a one time thing and I need to keep the profile for that user. otherwise some programs are not accessable and it's a mess.

 

If you right-click on My Computer, go down to Properties. On the User Profiles tab there is a button where you can copy the selected profile anywhere you'd like. I'm still unclear as to how you are "losing" a profile. Profiles are not "lost" until you delete them manually.

 

Copy the profile before you join the domain or after?
If you wait till after it won't let you touch it because the SID doesn't match.

 

For ssmith10pn,

I think I've had similar problems. If I understand you correctly you want to use the home machine in a domain (in office) but when you take it home you want desktop etc. to be same as it used to be.

If you use a different profile (use diff login name) for domain than for workgroup (at home), you should have no problem. You will have 2 different profiles.

The only extra work is to setup the new login on the server.

Make sense?