Join or sign in Register for your free TechRepublic membership or if you are already a member, sign in using your preferred method below. Use Your Email Use FacebookUse Linkedin

BDC cannot find domain during networking

Locked

Hi, I’ve never had this problem before and perhaps someone can help me out here. Installing nt server 4.0 as a bdc on an intellistation M Pro (9889), 400mhz, intel etherexpress pro 10/100 integrated. Setup runs smoothly until networking section. I copied the “inteleth” folder from the IBM config. cd-rom onto a floppy and inserted disk for ethernet driver. Server reads disk without problems. I set up tcp/ip, server name, domain name, administrator name and password. When I click “next” I get “domain cannot be found.” This machine needs to find a dell xpsT500. Machines are connected via a 3com hub. I’ve used IBM’s config. folder and I have tried loading intel driver from nt’s driver list. Same result. Ethernet is enabled in bios. Checked cabling, swapped ports on hub. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. -Lou

Topic

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Hmmm, from your answers to other people’s questions, you seem to have a pretty highly developed troubleshooting methodology so I’m thinking you’re probably looking at a hardware failure. Those are rare, but not unheard of, and I’ve had several experiences with failed integrated network ports.

If you’ve got the right driver, but IPCONFIG doesn’t show the adapter or if you don’t have a link light or if it does show the adapter and you have a link light but neither the loopback ping nor a pingto the PDC works, I’d assume it is a hardware problem and try a separate NIC card (I’m not familiar with the 9889 but I assume there is room for one…).

On the other hand, some folks have had good luck with just un-installing and re-installing the TCP/IP stack.

I hope someone else had some better ideas because I’d be reaching for the phone to call in a warranty claim about now…

paul

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Thanks Paul. To double-check the hardware I went ahead and installed server as a member server rather than a bdc. In doing so, I could install and test networking; this verified for the me the hardware is fine.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

This happened to me once. I had to add another protocol to the PDC (NetBEUI or NWLink) and continued the installation with that protocol instead. After the BDC installation is done, TCP/IP installation was not a problem. Strange…

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Thanks, but I had tried that. I thought initially it might have been tcp/ip, but same result with netbeui.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

As a Workaround, could you try adding the NetBIOS name of the new server into the Server Manger of the PDC.
As a fix, could it be a WINS problem, the BDC broadcasts for the PDC and cannot find it, so could you set up a WINS Proxy (registry hack on a Workstation), or could you add #PRE DOM settings in LMHosts.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Thanks guy. Actually, I had set up the computer on server manager on the PDC. It’s getting the BDC to find the PDC that’s the problem. I had also set up an exclusion on wins for the bdc, but I’ll use lmhosts as well.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Dear Sir,

If you are sure that your PDC working well please remove the PDC from the HUB and connect it by cross cable to The new BDC if still you are not connect to PDC you have a hardware problem in NIC or driver not work smoothly with TCP/IP try NETBUE without TCP/IP , If you siccess remove the NEtbuie and install again TCP/IP.
Good luck.

Ron

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Thanks, I tried netbeui thinking that I was having some kind of hang-up with TCP/IP. There is no hardware problem.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

I had that problem when trying to join a domain on a different subnet but this might be worth looking at anyway.

During the install IP configuration setup screen, go to the WINS dialog box. Click on Import LMHOSTS… Next go to the System32 directory and right click on notepad.exe and choose open. When Notepad starts, browse down to the system32/drivers/etc directory with the file|open commands and choose lmhosts.sam. With this file open, go to the bottom of the document and type the IP Address of the PDC [TAB] PDC Computername [TAB] #PRE [TAB] #DOM:domainname. Hit file|save as… and choose lmhosts. You may also want to edit the Hosts file to reflect the address of your PDC. You will also want to go back into the directory browser you got from the Import LMHOSTS button and verify that notepad didn’t add a.txt extension to your two files.

Good luck.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Thank you Greg. Guy (above) brought up lmhosts which I’ll try, but I’m becoming convinced it’s a driver issue.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

I have seen strange problems at times with NT and Intel NICs/drivers. What you may want to do is download the latest Intel 100B drivers (v3.7) and make a NT driver diskette. Use this diskette to load drivers for the integrated NIC.

Good luck…

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Thanks. I am becoming convinced it well may be the driver. I’ve gone to intel’s site and downloaded drivers.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

I’ve had a problem like this where it will only install the NIC drivers correctly if it were on the hard drive. So I had to work around by:

1) Install the machine as a PDC on its own domain.

2) When NT finishes installing, put drivers on the hard drive, install the Nic.

3) Add the machine to the Dell domain, and demote it to bdc.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Thanks. I’m now thinking it’s probably the drivers.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

On different hardware (HP and 3Com) the solution was:

1. Do not try to configure the LANIC from the server EISA configuration prior to installing NT. I.e., go back into EISA config and remove the LANIC if it shows there.

2. Verify the configurable settings (IRQ, DMA, etc.) on the LANIC (by plugging into a spare pc and running the LANIC manufacturer’s diagnostic/install routine from a DOS prompt. Double check the LANIC settings against your EISA configuration for the other devices.

BDC cannot find domain during networking

In reply to BDC cannot find domain during networking

Thanks. Given my configuration I’m thinking I have a driver problem. Got it up and running as a member server and now I’ll reinstall and try for bdc again. Thank you very much for your help.

[Author]

Replies