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Can't map to W2K server via CNAME alias

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by shanghai sam

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I've created a new software distribution server on Win2K named GRIFFIN, but I want to assign it a CNAME alias in our DNS called "SOFTWARE" so that future RIS and FTP operations can point to the same name in the event we replace Griffin. Unfortunately, I can't map to the drives on Griffin (e.g. \\software.mydomain.com\install) using the CNAME alias from Win2K systems; I get a "duplicate name exists" error. NT systems don't have any problems connecting to the above path. After checking TechNet, all I found was the Article Q254210, which basically just tells me to use the server's NetBIOS name and not any other. This is not sufficient. Has anyone seen this behavior before?

3 replies

by kimoppalfens

What happens if you enter \\ipaddress_of_the_server\install?

What is the result of nslookup software.mydomain.com?

Kim Oppalfens

by cavedweller

Did you use specify the cname as "software CNAME griffin.mydomain.com." (period included) or just "software CNAME griffin". The first method seems to work better for us.

by estebandelatorre

w2k is very dns dependant, it won't work fine without a correct dns resolution. Previous versions can use netbios to resolve the name, but not in the same order as win2k
Sp2 is supposed to solve this order.

Hope it helps!!

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