Windows 2003 R2 PDC

[wesleyw]

How long does your main server stay on the preparing Network connections screen?

Mines about 20 minutes.

It does DNS, DHCP, WSUS and Print Manager Plus

Wes

[Geoff]

About 5 seconds. Somethings broke there (probably DNS). Do you have the server pointing it's dns to another DC?

[edie209]

Can't say I have really have timed mine but I would estimate about 30 - 40 seconds at the most mine run dns file and print dhcp.

[Simcfc73]

Mine used to do this. I unplugged the network cable when I rebooted then plugged it back in when it got to the logon screen.

My problem seemed to fix itself.

[ChrisH]

Mine used to do this. I unplugged the network cable when I rebooted then plugged it back in when it got to the logon screen.

My problem seemed to fix itself.

Thats because its looking for something it cant find and gives up when it detects the link has gone down.

[Simcfc73]

Thing is it never used to let me log on when the cable wasn't plugged in.

[wesleyw]

Okay found a few issues in the DNS:

Forward Lookup Zone:

Event ID 4007

The DNS server was unable to open zone qmgs.internal in the Active Directory from the application directory partition DomainDnsZones.qmgs.internal. This DNS server is configured to obtain and use information from the directory for this zone and is unable to load the zone without it. Check that the Active Directory is functioning properly and reload the zone. The event data is the error code.


Reverse Lookup Zone

The DNS server was unable to open zone 0.168.192.in-addr.arpa in the Active Directory from the application directory partition DomainDnsZones.qmgs.internal. This DNS server is configured to obtain and use information from the directory for this zone and is unable to load the zone without it. Check that the Active Directory is functioning properly and reload the zone. The event data is the error code.


And finally

Event ID 4013

The DNS server was unable to open the Active Directory. This DNS server is configured to use directory service information and can not operate without access to the directory. The DNS server will wait for the directory to start. If the DNS server is started but the appropriate event has not been logged, then the DNS server is still waiting for the directory to start.


Any ideas?

Wes

[wesleyw]

c:\nltest /dsgetdc:qmgs.internal

DC: \\qmgsdc1.qmgs.internal
Address: \\192.168.0.1
Dom Guid: 975d96d5-6388-4a36-b496-c6546ac53ae4
Dom Name: qmgs.internal
Forest Name: qmgs.internal
Dc Site Name: Default-First-Site-Name
Our Site Name: Default-First-Site-Name
Flags: PDC GC DS LDAP KDC TIMESERV GTIMESERV WRITABLE DNS_DC DNS_DOMAIN
DNS_FOREST CLOSE_SITE
The command completed successfully

This is what nltest reported!

Wes

[Geoff]

See my previous post. You need to point your DC's DNS at another DC.

[Joedetic]

The old APC software had used to do something that.

[DMcCoy]

2003 startup speed depends on a number of factors, including weather and poultry sacrifices

With my *many* installs of 2003 over the years, it just depends on the fact that sometimes it might start its services before it has finished initalising the domain ones. I often find this problem and associated *cosmetic* errors go away after the server is used as extra services and drivers slow the boot and alter the order in which services are started.

As Geoff said, a second DC will fix this if it is used as a second dns server for the first dc. Then windows can perform all the required lookups without delay. Not that this help when I have to take both dcs offline, but then I boot one, wait for the 20 long minutes, boot the second which boots as normal, when its finished I reboot the first to remove any possible issues.

[Kyle]

@Geoff

See my previous post. You need to point your DC's DNS at another DC

Excuse for for possibly asking a daft question but.....We have 2 DC's but only one has DNS, our DC running DNS takes an age (at least 10 Min's) to log do the networking log on bit as well.

Do i need to set up DNS on the second DC and point the first DC to it?

[DMcCoy]

@Geoff

See my previous post. You need to point your DC's DNS at another DC

Excuse for for possibly asking a daft question but.....We have 2 DC's but only one has DNS, our DC running DNS takes an age (at least 10 Min's) to log do the networking log on bit as well.

Do i need to set up DNS on the second DC and point the first DC to it?

yes, as secondary dns server on the tcp/ip, I might have set mine up as a forwarder actually, can't remember atm - will check tomorrow

[wesleyw]

So if I point it at our Unix box for instance would that mean it may boot quickly without me having to sacrifice chickens and goats?

Wes

[Geoff]

No, you need to point it at another windows DC running DNS.