could not joined to Server 2003 R2 Domain

I have installed a 2003 R2 standard server first time yesterday, after the
server has setup as a first domain controller (only one server in the
network), then I try to join a XP workstation to the domain. The workstation
can found the account which I have setup in the active directory, but after
that I keep getting the message "Your computer could not be joined to the
domain because the following error has occured: The specified server cannot
perform the requested operation". I try another XP PC and got the same
message. I have setup many 2003 servers in the last years and half, and I
didn't come across any problem like this, I have check the domain security's
user policy that I have the right to add workstation to the domain. Can
anyone give me some advice?

Greetings,

Is there any errors in your event logs that may shine some clues?

First make sure you can ping the server by it's IP and it's FQDN.

Other things to check is to make sure DNS is set up properly, with the
server being the primary DNS and a secondary pointing out to a web dns (or
however you like to set it up). Make sure that Windows Firewall isn't
blocking anything or any third party firewall. If you used the Security
Wizard and locked down the server, check over your settings to ensure you
did not disable a role on the server that you shouldn't have. Check the time
zone on both the server and the workstation, I would recommend syncing the
time zones if they are off more then 1 minute. Check over your server
configuration, make sure you didn't enable any wierd options such as
digitally signing all communications.

Hope this helps,
--
Louis Vitiello Jr.
------------------------------
MCSE, MCSA, MCP, A+/N+
ERCP XP Pro / Net Concepts


"Tino Wong - Ireland" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:746C80A5-0A43-4451-8A0C-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have installed a 2003 R2 standard server first time yesterday, after the
> server has setup as a first domain controller (only one server in the
> network), then I try to join a XP workstation to the domain. The
> workstation
> can found the account which I have setup in the active directory, but
> after
> that I keep getting the message "Your computer could not be joined to the
> domain because the following error has occured: The specified server
> cannot
> perform the requested operation". I try another XP PC and got the same
> message. I have setup many 2003 servers in the last years and half, and I
> didn't come across any problem like this, I have check the domain
> security's
> user policy that I have the right to add workstation to the domain. Can
> anyone give me some advice?

Thanks Louis,
I will try again and let you know.
Tino

"Louis Vitiello Jr." wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> Is there any errors in your event logs that may shine some clues?
>
> First make sure you can ping the server by it's IP and it's FQDN.
>
> Other things to check is to make sure DNS is set up properly, with the
> server being the primary DNS and a secondary pointing out to a web dns (or
> however you like to set it up). Make sure that Windows Firewall isn't
> blocking anything or any third party firewall. If you used the Security
> Wizard and locked down the server, check over your settings to ensure you
> did not disable a role on the server that you shouldn't have. Check the time
> zone on both the server and the workstation, I would recommend syncing the
> time zones if they are off more then 1 minute. Check over your server
> configuration, make sure you didn't enable any wierd options such as
> digitally signing all communications.
>
> Hope this helps,
> --
> Louis Vitiello Jr.
> ------------------------------
> MCSE, MCSA, MCP, A+/N+
> ERCP XP Pro / Net Concepts
>
>
> "Tino Wong - Ireland" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> message news:746C80A5-0A43-4451-8A0C-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >I have installed a 2003 R2 standard server first time yesterday, after the
> > server has setup as a first domain controller (only one server in the
> > network), then I try to join a XP workstation to the domain. The
> > workstation
> > can found the account which I have setup in the active directory, but
> > after
> > that I keep getting the message "Your computer could not be joined to the
> > domain because the following error has occured: The specified server
> > cannot
> > perform the requested operation". I try another XP PC and got the same
> > message. I have setup many 2003 servers in the last years and half, and I
> > didn't come across any problem like this, I have check the domain
> > security's
> > user policy that I have the right to add workstation to the domain. Can
> > anyone give me some advice?
>
>
>

"Tino Wong - Ireland" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:ED0E75D5-9B2D-45CB-AFF9-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > server being the primary DNS and a secondary pointing out to a web dns
(or

I would not have any secondary DNS unless there are two domain controllers
on the LAN. The ISP's DNS should only appear in the Forwarders List within
the config of the AD/DNS.

This prevents much trouble caused by the AD/DNS maybe being temporaily
unavailable which causes the machine to look to the IPS's DNS instead and
causing problems.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com