XP can't see domain

I have just put 3 new Sony notebooks on our NT4 domain. 2 of the notebooks
work fine. The other notebook can't see the domain at all. It can ping all
the computers on the network. I can map drive letters using the
\\192.168.16.2\data approach.

If I try to browse the network, it reports that permission is denied. If I
try to run the networking wizard, it falls over saying that the domain
controller cannot be located on the domain.

I'm thinking that this is a DNS issue, but I haven't a clue how to go about
it. Anybody got any ideas?

Hoof Hearted wrote:
I have just put 3 new Sony notebooks on our NT4 domain.

I presume you mean you're running XP Pro & have joined them to the domain?

2 of the
notebooks work fine. The other notebook can't see the domain at all.
It can ping all the computers on the network. I can map drive letters
using the \\192.168.16.2\data approach.

If I try to browse the network, it reports that permission is denied.
If I try to run the networking wizard, it falls over saying that the
domain controller cannot be located on the domain.

I'm thinking that this is a DNS issue, but I haven't a clue how to go
about it. Anybody got any ideas?

Very likely DNS. What's your server OS - are you using AD? All servers and
workstations should specify *only* the internal /(AD-integrated?) DNS
server's IP address in their network settings. The DNS server itself should
be set up with forwarders to your ISP's DNS servers for external resolution
and/or use root hints.

"Hoof Hearted" wrote in message
...
I have just put 3 new Sony notebooks on our NT4 domain. 2 of the notebooks
work fine. The other notebook can't see the domain at all. It can ping all
the computers on the network. I can map drive letters using the
\\192.168.16.2\data approach.

If I try to browse the network, it reports that permission is denied. If I
try to run the networking wizard, it falls over saying that the domain
controller cannot be located on the domain.

I'm thinking that this is a DNS issue, but I haven't a clue how to go
about
it. Anybody got any ideas?



NT4 domains live in the NetBIOS namespace, not DNS.
So to find an NT4 domain, you need to be able to resolve NetBIOS names.

Can you ping machines by both name and IP address?
eg:
ping YourPDC
ping 192.168.16.2

If you can't ping by name, then you need to look at your NetBIOS name
resolution arrangements.

Ensure NetBIOS-over-TCP/IP is enabled on the problem machine.
( TCP/IP advanced properties, WINS tab. )

Is the Domain controller on the same local network, or is it at a remote
site connected by a router?

Are you using WINS on your NT4 domain?
If so, ensure that the correct WINS server address is listed.

Go to a command prompt, run 'ipconfig /all' and report the Node Type.


--
Best Regards,
Ron Lowe
MS-MVP Windows Networking

Yes I am running XP Pro on the notebooks. I have joined the first 2 to the
domain. The third can't see the domain at all. So it won't attempt to join it.

The server OS is NT4 sp6 so no AD.

I can ping the server by name, but only since I made an entry in the laptop
hosts file.

I've tried enabling Netbios over TCP-IP. No joy.

The Domain Controller is on the local network.

Ipconfig /all on the laptop reports Node Type: Unknown

Hoof Hearted wrote:
Yes I am running XP Pro on the notebooks. I have joined the first 2
to the domain. The third can't see the domain at all. So it won't
attempt to join it.

The server OS is NT4 sp6 so no AD.

You can install & run your own internal DNS anyway and I would...with
forwarders to your ISP's DNS servers for all external resolution. Then all
clients should use the internal DNS server as their sole DNS server....you
can set up DNS to lookup to WINS. I've done this many times.

That said, do you have WINS running & configured properly?

What does ipconfig /all from the workstation in question give you?

"Hoof Hearted" wrote in message
...
I can ping the server by name, but only since I made an entry in the laptop
hosts file.

I've tried enabling Netbios over TCP-IP. No joy.

The Domain Controller is on the local network.

Ipconfig /all on the laptop reports Node Type: Unknown



The fact you had to make an entry in hosts to ping by name is bad news.
This means the normal NetBIOS name resolution mechanisms are failing.
And this is why it can't find the NT4 Domain.

I'd remove the hosts entry, because it shouldnt be necessary, and at the
moment it's masking an underlying problem.

You didn't say if your NT4 server was running WINS.
Is it?

We'll attempt to force name resolution shortly, but first delete the hosts
entry, and lets check the WINS status.

Just out of interest, could you do an 'nbtstat -n' and report the output?

--
Best Regards,
Ron Lowe
MS-MVP Windows Networking