Help with setting up W2K Server for the first time.

[tickmike]

Hello All.
I'm trying to set up active directory on a W2k server, it will be used for the school network of 30 computers, we have not had a domain before.
I have done a fresh install and give it a computer name of 'schoolserver' and want to be on a domain of
'DCHS.local' .
I think I have now set up the DNS server. it comes up with the name 'schoolserver' and the ip= 192.168.0.10 which is the static ip address for the server, and I can 'ping' its self eg schoolserver ..thats OK.

I come to use the active directory wizard and fill it all in, press finish, then it starts to configures it and then comes up with a box that says
""Edit" " 'New Cridential's' ""Edit""
'access denied' and below its got user name, password, domain.
I have tried to fill these in but it just keeps coming back.
On the fill in box on the wizard for DNS name I put 'DCHS.local'
What am I doing wrong . ?. I have been at it most of today !!!. Help please.
Michael.

[simongrahamuk]

If memory recalls (has been a while), then the best way to set this up would be to install DNS on the server as part of the AD setup.

I'd suggest that you remove DNS from the server, and assuming that you don't have any other DNS servers on the Network allow the DC promotion process to detect that there are no DNS servers and it will set up a new AD integrated DNS zone on the server.

[steve]

You need to make sure the server is attached to at least a switch, I had many hours of fun not getting a 2000 server working until it detected a network connection.

To get active directory you'll need to run dcpromo.

This site goes through it it detail.

[tickmike]

Hi.
Thanks for advice and link, I will try it out today and let you know.
Michael.

[GrumbleDook]

Hi Mike ... it is probably too late now but when setting up DNS on W2K / Server 2003 you should not use .local ... despite what some of the MS Press books and the MS trainers say.

The .local extension within DNS is actually used for zeroconf, a system used predominantly on *nix system for simple autosetup networks for finding networked devices such as printers. People will more commonly come across this as 'Bonjour' or 'Rendez-vous' (as it used to be pefore Apple had to change the name).

Newer versions of Mac OS X can deal with this (some requirement of a cludge) but for future good practice try using .school instead.

[pshuttle]

Good practice states that the DNS server should point to itself for DNS resolution. Set in network properties.

The error message could be to do with your server trying to dynamicaly register with your current DNS server.

Also, what was said before - i.e do not use .local

Cheers

[tickmike]

Hello all.
To day I removed DNS and the server is plugged into a switch and on network properties DNS points to its self., so I tried about four times to configure AD but I get this 'New Credential's box comes up and says 'Access Denied'. (see first post)
So getting fed up I had not configured much on the server and did a new install and put the service packs on, but this time I did not set up DHCP or DNS first, then tried setting up AD again and the same thing happened.
Any Ideas what I'm doing wrong ?. and what is this 'New Credential's box that comes up ?. what is it for ?.
From Fed up Michael.
Ps On my test set up I have used ' .Local ' before but will try .school

[Dos_Box]

Mike, PM me your number and I will ring you on Monday and try and talk you through this if it would be more helpful? I think something has gone very wrong somewhere.

[tickmike]

Hello.
At about 1am this morning I hit myself on the head for doing something so daft and I now have AD installed on the server .
I have the server at home working on it before I install it at school for the first time. (only live 150 mt from the school).
To help any one who has a similar problem this is the daft thing I was doing :-
On the AD wizard at one stage it recommends to store three different items on separate disks.
eg. database @ C:\winnt\ntds so what I did was to click on the 'Browse' button and pick a different disk from the list, I used M:\ so clicked on that and then made the other two choices for the other two items eg. log and sysvol.
Then I continued with the rest of the wizard.
And that's the problem I ended up with just M:\ for the disk and it had deleted (In my example above) winnt\ntds. So it confused it as to where to sent the info.
So this is what I did . right click on C:\ of my example above and change it to M:\
So I ended up M:\winnt\ntds.
set the other two disks up and continued with the wizard ....It Worked....
Thanks for all your help.
Regards Michael.

[kingswood]

If you can grin and bare it I would reinstall (with knowledge now being your master) and just leave the Sysvol and NTDS on the same volume (so going with the defaults). You might save yourself some headaches down the road. In any case it is good you are making progress. Have you considered buying Mark Minasi's "Mastering Server 2003"? An excellent book that will walk you through all these issues and more besides.

Good luck!!

[tickmike]

Hi Thanks for comments.
Being an ex Scientist I have got use to things not working as you want them too !. see my members post here http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?nam...=asc&start=120

The book I was given is 'Windows 2000 Server for Dummies' you can see which bit I am !!!.

From Michael.

[GrumbleDook]

If you fancy coming along to the Leicester meet I can loan you some W2K books (Minasi series) since we are Server 2003 now.

[kingswood]

Hi Thanks for comments.
Being an ex Scientist I have got use to things not working as you want them too !. see my members post here http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?nam...=asc&start=120

The book I was given is 'Windows 2000 Server for Dummies' you can see which bit I am !!!.

From Michael.

Not at all! We all start somewhere- usually by ripping what hair we have left out of our shiny heads and then sitting in a corner somewhere crying. And it's usually installing and configuring DNS that makes Sys Admins weep a lot throughout their lonely lives

Take Tony up on his offer and get those books- Mark Minasi is superb at getting real world experience out to people who need it quickly.

Paul

[tickmike]

If you fancy coming along to the Leicester meet I can loan you some W2K books (Minasi series) since we are Server 2003 now.

Hello Tony .
Thanks for the offer of the books but cannot make it to Leicester its very good of you.
From Michael.