Exchange server cannot find domain controller

[drewinc]

We are having a major issue at the moment - All I need on a Monday.

Our exchange server (win 2003, exchange 2003) cannot log into the domain - It will log on locally though. No exchange services are started and I have the following message in eventvwr :

Event ID: 2114
Source: MSExchangeDSAccess
Process NETINFO.exe - Topology Discovery Failed Error

This all started because we were messing about with a virtual snapshot of exchange and it came online while the live exchange server was running.

I can ping the server by name and ip and vice versa but thats about it.

Im stumped here.

[Dos_Box]

This all started because we were messing about with a virtual snapshot of exchange and it came online while the live exchange server was running.

Ah. Not good. Anything that ties in with AD (such as Exchange) really should not be messed around with. If you have accidentally rolled it back to an earlier snapshot you may have broken something deep, deep down. If you have backed up Exchange daily I would suggest biting the bullet and removing\reinstalling it if no solution becomes apparent in the next day or so. AD does not like to be messed with and Exchange ties in with this. If AD on you DC's does not like what it sees from your Exchnage server then you are well and truly stuffed I'm afraid. As they say. if it's working, do not mess around with it.

[drewinc]

Thanks - I was dreading but expecting an answer like that Will restore tomorrow - what fun.

[drewinc]

Maybe not ..... Took off certification services - reset the computer account - rejoined the server to the domain and all is working fine again. Pheww

[Dos_Box]

Oooh. Lucky

[bornin50]

Maybe not ..... Took off certification services - reset the computer account - rejoined the server to the domain and all is working fine again. Pheww

Hi, we are in the same situation with Exchange not logging in to the domain. I have found the reset computer account mentioned as a fix, but no mention of certification services. Could you explain that to a novice please?

Colin

[sukh]

Hi

Can you explain your setup, exchange version, OS, also how did your issue come about?

Log in locally and check the event logs and post here. Look for Dsaccess for DC/GC discovery. If you have Exchange 2003 you you will have to up the logging for dsaccess.

Sukh

[bornin50]

Hi thanks for the reply,
"Can you explain your setup, exchange version, OS, also how did your issue come about?"

Mmmm I sorta wish you hadn't asked that, ok here goes -

Xen Server hosting several VMs, one of which is 64bit 2008 r2 Windows Server running 2007 exchange server.
Exchange server is purely a calendar sharing tool for the management team, who all have Blackberrys.
It has taken a fair bit of setting up, but has been running nicely since November 2010. I have overview of the Network Management, but the technician who set it up is on holiday and excommunicado.

Monday morning the Xen Server fell over, cause unknown, never happened before. Rebooted fine and the hosted 2k8 server also started up fine. However Exchange Management Console is not connecting to AD. I can see the Exchange server from a workstation, and connect to explore the c: drive, but I cannot remote desktop it.

I have called in all favours, but Exchange triggers the 'short intake of breath' syndrome with my contacts so far, and the BB word just causes gales of hysterical laughter.

I have spent hours on Google, and almost gave up but then I found this thread ......................

"Log in locally and check the event logs and post here. Look for Dsaccess for DC/GC discovery. If you have Exchange 2003 you you will have to up the logging for dsaccess."

Ok I'll do this now.

Colin

[sukh]

Hi

Let me know what the event logs say on the Exchange server?
Can the users access the shared calendars as expected?
Is the issue only with the management console, i.e when trying to connect or is there a Exchange issue?
What do you mean by you can see the Exchange server from the workstatation? What actions are you performing? Are you using the console successfully from the workstation?
Can you logon interactively on the Exchange server and launch the console?
Have you checked the remote desktpo settings on the OS?
What do you see in the events when you try to RDP to the server?

Sukh

[bornin50]

Back again,

"Can the users access the shared calendars as expected?" - no, Outlook reports - the connection to the Microsoft Exchange server is unavailable.

"Is the issue only with the management console, i.e when trying to connect or is there a Exchange issue?" - there is an Exchange issue

"What do you mean by you can see the Exchange server from the workstatation? What actions are you performing? Are you using the console successfully from the workstation?" - I can see the Exchange server in Network neighbourhood, type \\exchange2007\c$ into an explorer address line and the c: drive is browse-able. Remote desktop returns an error.

"Can you logon interactively on the Exchange server and launch the console?" - I can logon to the Exchange Server from the XEN management program - via the vm console, Windows remote desktop access from a workstation will not work.

"Have you checked the remote desktpo settings on the OS?" - The 2K8 Exchange Server has Remote Desktop enabled.

On the Exchange Server - if I run Exchange Management Console it returns an error message -

--------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Exchange Error
--------------------------------------------------------
The following error(s) were reported while loading topology information:
get-ExchangeServer
Failed
Error:
An Active Directory error 0x8007052E occurred while searching for domain controllers in domain ADMIN.INTERNAL: Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.
Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.

get-UMServer
Failed
Error:
An Active Directory error 0x8007052E occurred while searching for domain controllers in domain ADMIN.INTERNAL: Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.
Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.
__________________________________________________ __________________________

The most recent Exchange event in the event log is

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applications event log

12.31 MSEXCHANGE ADAccess 2080

Process MAD.EXE (PID=4152). Exchange Active Directory Provider has discovered the following servers with the following characteristics:
(Server name | Roles | Enabled | Reachability | Synchronized | GC capable | PDC | SACL right | Critical Data | Netlogon | OS Version)
In-site:
admin_server.ADMIN.INTERNAL CDG 1 7 7 1 0 1 1 7 1
Out-of-site:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope this is of some use, most of the services have reported loaded ok, including the Exchange and Blackberry ones.

I think the computer account in AD is frazzled.

[sukh]

Can you run the ExBPA on your server and let me know the results, or post/PM me the results

Thanks
Sukh

[bornin50]

Thanks, pm sent.

[bornin50]

Post 5

[bornin50]

Hi,

Good news, after rebooting the Domain Controller and restarting the Exchange services the system is now online again. Thanks to Sukh for all the help along the way.