Hi there
Have a huge issue at a workplace that I have been drafted in to solve that is driving me insane for 3 days. The previous IT guy in charge left some time ago and so the company has had no network/IT support in the meantime, and there are no handovers of any kind. What a great start! I would really love some help on this one; as of issues described as above i haven’t fully got to grips with the network setup and so me myself and I have really been thrown in right at the deep end.
The main issues on this 100-150 node LAN is that all clients (Win2k and WinXP) are losing their connection randomly to their shares if an explorer window of that share or an app on that share isn’t left open (regardless of leases expiring etc) The WinXP machines can resolve this issue fairly easily by using the Repair network function. The Win2k machines don’t have this; a dodgy batch file on some of these machines occasionally does the same thing, but has never worked for me when I’ve tried. Shared printers which are connected directly to client machines via USB randomly drop away too. One minute they appear Ready, next they appear offline.
The majority of machines I’ve seen have been given Auto IP addressing on the client and then given a fixed IP address by the DC in the DNS settings. Some of these appear to conflict which is a bit worrying and I have already ensured each machine is now given one unique IP address. (First sign of trouble).
The Win2k machines have been a nightmare. They can always see machines pop up under Entire Network/OurDomainName, regardless of the fact if it is joined to the Domain or not, or whatever workgroup name is given if i drop it out. The client machines are listed in the entire network in sequential fashion, and the DC is also listed (SRV2000 for example).
On this SVR2000 is a share that everyone in the building needs access to. However, the Win2k machines grind to a halt with error “The specified network name is no longer available” . SVR2000 is always visible and only sometimes accessible. In 3 days i have found absolutey no way to predictably replicate the problem – sometimes it will connect and others it will not (usually not – ha) Sometimes it works after restarting, others not. I can find absolutely no pattern – very annoying.
I have tried giving manual addressing on the client, auto-iping, deleting the machine’s DNS entries on the DC, giving only the DNS server and auto IP, creating it as a “new” machine and removing it from the domain then rejoining it (which took some doing also – creating a brand new local admin account on that particular machine seemed to do it as opposed to using the exisiting local Administrator account…bizzare). Still the exact same problem.
The setup as far as i can tell is as follows: One PDC running W2kSBS, running AD, WINS and DNS, a seperate W2k3 server running Oracle databases engines only (installed by a 3rd party company), all connected to hub along with a WAP, these are behind firewall pc, then firewall modem, then internet.
From searching forums aplenty most of it would sways towards a DNS/WINS issue. However, for all i know it could be a dodgy switch somewhere. this is a 7 day live network and I want to be more sure where the fault lies before I start making major changes/overnight maintainence. Apparently the dude who set it up wasn’t 100% with what he was doing.
Is it wise to remove all the DNS/WINS records and start again from scratch? Is it better to assign the IP addresses on the client machines and not with a DNS/DHCP combo as is now?
This is the largest network I’ve had to troubleshoot before personally and so it’s a toughie. I spoke with the guy who installed the 3rd party w2k3 server and he agreed.
Does anyone have any ideas???
Thanks in advance!
Matt