Setting Up New Server and New Domain

[Zoom7000]

So, our admin server went kaboom! We had already brought a new server to replace what was the old Dell running NT4. However, the weeks and months of planning the migration has turned into minutes and hours. Anyway, to cut a long story short, the old server was in a pretty bad state, permissions were terrible, users saved their files anywhere, and it took 15 minutes for anyone to log on!

 

So, I've started from scratch. New server, new domain, Windows Server 2003, Active Directory infrastructure. Anyway, I have set it's role as Domain Controller, File Server, DNS Server. I have setup Active Directory, and created an OU for Staff. I have created 1 user and a mandatory profile and created a group policy called StaffGPO. I did this all in GPMC, so it is linked to the Staff OU.

 

The StaffGPO is so far supposed to:

 

Redirect My Documents to \\server\mydocs\staff\%username%

Run a "MapDrive.bat" batch file to map H: to the above location, and a few other drives to other shared locations.

Set some policies to restrict access to Control Panel, Run Command and some IE policies (proxy settings, homepage etc)

 

Now, the problem, the group policy is not running! I log in as our sole user and none of the policies are applied. None! The profile is applied fine. Just no policies. I remember setting up a test network at home and having the same problem but never managing to get it working. So, my question is, how can I get the accounts to run the policy when I log in?

[Messa]

Hi,

 

Have you checked that your clients are pointing to the DNS Server and that the server is pointing to its own DNS??

[Zoom7000]

Yup, that is all correct

[Messa]

in CMD try running GPUPDATE /Force then reboot the machine and see if that works, if not, rejoin the client to the domain.

[GrumbleDook]

Are you testingit on a laptop and doing it over wireless be any chance?

 

Make sure you are plugged into a wired point and once you are logged in run Resultant set of policies for that user to see what it thinks should be happening.

 

Also ... does changing the security group make a difference? Have you tried the user as a domain admin?

[Zoom7000]

gpupdate /force did nothing.

 

I'm not running anything wirelessly, all is done wired. What security group do I change? And where?

[Messa]

Have you tried rejoining the client to the domain?

 

also you can change the security group in the user's properties on the 'member of' tab.

[Zoom7000]

I'll try that, if not, it'll have to wait till Tuesday, cause I'm gonna get kicked out by the site supervisors in a minute!

[Heebeejeebee]

Have a look at what gpresult throws back. You can get a full verbose report by using a /v switch and sending it to a txt file as well. More info here.

 

I had a similar problem a while back (here) that was never resolved but I had the luxury of being able to swap the machine out with another one. I assume that the NIC was FUBAR or something even though all other networking was fine.

 

HBJB

[Zoom7000]

I have run gpresult and I am getting the following message:

 

INFO: The policy object does not exist

 

So, what next? :?

[tarquel]

As Heebeejeebee touches upon, have you tried using a different revision of drivers for the LAN card?

 

Also, is it happening [sorry if i missed it] on more than one machine? If you havent tried it, it would be worth giving it a shot

 

Nath.

[bossman]

Sorry for pointing this out and i may be wrong but have you created a user group called "Staff" and allocated the 1 user to this usergroup. I could be barking up the wrong tree here but it is just a try.

[Zoom7000]

I'm actually beginning to think there is a problem relating to DNS. Reason is, I tried adding another computer to the domain using it's full DNS name of "newdomain.local" however, it refused to find a DC for the domain, I then tried the netbios name of "newdomain" and it worked.

 

So, DNS issue? Or something else?

[Geoff]

Yes, that's DNS. Run netdiag/dcdiag.

[alonebfg]

ok i know i am a bit late here but the server that broke was it the dhcp server if so have you installed dhcp and setup the dns in dhcp asd this will have the same problems as above. I know i am behind but better late than never