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Windows 2003 Server – Local Machine Account does not appear at logon

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This morning a user called with an issue accessing a shared drive on the DC… he posts some files there daily for processing, etc
His system reported that he was already mapped using another user ID… but he wasn’t, and net use didn’t show that either… so after a reboot, he still got the same error.

Since the office was not filled yet, decided to bounce the DC and see if maybe his UID was just stuck. After a reboot, I noticed that after hitting “CTRL ALT DEL” under the LOGON TO dropdown, the Local Machine account did not exist. The only account that existed was the Domain Account.

Thinking nothing of this, I allowed the server to logon and finish processing, but at this point no Mapped drives worked, our Finance App was not accessible from the server… basically the server was up, but not “serving” anything.

I then proceeded to bounce again, this time leaving the DC off for around 10 minutes. After the reboot, the machine took an awful long time to get to the “LOGON” screen… maybe 4 mins… still the Local Machine account did not appear and the “Domain” account was the only visible account.

After freakin out for a few mins, I noticed that some of my local processess started running on my desktop – which won’t run unless the server is mapped successfully. Very odd, since there is obviously an issue with this DC… Oddly enough, all services and access was regained after the DC was up for around 10 mins..

Error logs show NOTHING notable to advise what the heck could have happened to cause this hiccup in the first place.

In the error logs now, after the reboot this morning, I see the following:

Event ID: 53258
MS DTC could not correctly process a DC Promotion/Demotion event. MS DTC will continue to function and will use the existing security settings. Error Specifics: d:\nt\com\complus\dtc\dtc\adme\uiname.cpp:9280, Pid: 300
No Callstack,
CmdLine: C:\WINDOWS\system32\msdtc.exe

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

I inherited this configuration when I took this job, so fixing the obvious problems was set aside for now with the world of other tasks I had at hand.

Does anyone have a clue as to what might be the issue?? I have done many a google search to find what might be causing such problems, but cannot pin point the issue. No results point to the problem, and the Microsoft Support site has no help for this Event ID.

I appreciate and will attempt any valid suggestions.

Thanks again for any help!

Brian

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Clarifications

In reply to Windows 2003 Server – Local Machine Account does not appear at logon

Clarifications

well ……

In reply to Windows 2003 Server – Local Machine Account does not appear at logon

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923977/en-us

thats for event ID 53258

in that KB article is a fix

first of all

In reply to Windows 2003 Server – Local Machine Account does not appear at logon

There is never going to be a local machine account showing up when trying to logon to a Domain Controller.

Check cg’s suggestions and also

http://www.eventid.net/display.asp?eventid=53258&eventno=4493&source=MSDTC&phase=1

?

In reply to first of all

Why wouldn’t a local machine account show up on a DC? On any Windows 2k3 DC I have ever worked on, the local machine account has always been a choice.

thanks for the reference as well. My only concern is that no Demotion or Promotion has taken place. Does this MS DTC process run even if a Demotion or Promotion has not taken place?

Thanks,

Brian

yes it runs. no you don’t get the message unless

In reply to ?

… there was an attempt at demoting and/or promoting the AD DC.

The article gives you instructions on how to get rid of the message and that you can safely ignor the Event Viewer warming.

only

In reply to ?

On all domain members you’ll have the choice between logging on to the domain or to the local server. On domain controllers you’ll never get this choice, domain controllers don’t have local accounts. Open Computer Management and you’ll see that there’s no “Local users and Groups” under system tools”.

lowlands is right

In reply to only

W2003 server DCs you don’t get the local machine from the drop down box.

Ok

In reply to lowlands is right

Thanks – now that we have established that Local accounts do not list in the drop down (thanks).

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