[jacob654]

If anyone could help we this it would be greatly appricated. I have a newly installed Windows server 2003 Domain Controller. Every 5 minutes it reports an event 1054 saying that it cannot find the domain controller name. This server is a domian controller and has a local DNS server. I also have a Windows 2000 server Domain Controller that has a DNS server. I know this error is incorrect because if I do a \\ based on the fully qualified domain name it comes up instantly. I have checked the A records on both DNS servers and the are correct. Aside from these error messages everything is working correctly. Clients can logon and access the server with no problem and the group policy is being applied correctly. If anyone has a suggestion to the cause of these error messages it would be a big help.

[cluberti]

In your IP configuration for this server, what do you have set as it's DNS servers?

Also, make sure that (if this is a SP1 box) that your Windows firewall is off.

[jacob654]

I have tried using both of my local DNS servers as the primary DNS both give the same error. Also the Windows Firewall is completely off including disabling the firewall service.

[cluberti]

First, make certain that you are ONLY using your internal DNS servers. Any external DNS servers listed can cause havoc with AD and group policy processing. If the event contains additional data, include the value data in the box at the bottom of the eventviewer error in WORDS. I can tell you what the data means, at least.

Every 5 minutes the FRS service attempts to replicate data amongst domain controllers in a site, so I'd start by looking at NTFRS in tracking this problem down.

This post has been edited by cluberti: 08 November 2005 - 12:06 PM

[jacob654]

Removing all extrenal DNS servers has no effect

The exact error message i am recieving is "Windows cannot obtain the domain controller name for your computer network. (An unexpected network error occurred. ). Group Policy processing aborted.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp."

There isn't any WORDS information.

I am looking into NTFRS but at first glace its seems to be working correctly. I am not getting any NTFRS errors in the event log on either of my Domain Controllers.

[cluberti]

Then I'd suggest using a network monitoring tool (such as netmon or ethereal) to get a look at what's actually going on during the network transfer. I'd bet that would have some very salient information during the failure time periods.

Also, you could enable logging on the userenv errors by adding the following to your registry:

Key: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Value: UserEnvDebugLevel
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 10002 (Hex)

The log file will be located in %windir%\debug\usermode\userenv.log.

A few things to check as well:
- Netlogon, Workstation, and Server services: are they all started?
- NIC driver: are you using the latest version? If so, is there a driver on the Windows CD that you can try?
- IPSec: are you using it on your network to secure transfers?
- DNS Server: set to allow dynamic updates (all, not just secure!)?
- Server's SID in AD: have you made sure that the account properties in AD match the server's UUID?
- Gigabit NICs: Have you disabled media sense?

Key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
Value: DisableDHCPMediaSense
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 1 (Hex)

- Group policy: Have you configured the DC Locator entry in this server's GPO?

Group policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Net Logon > DC Locator DNS Records

Value: Dynamic Registration of the DC Locator DNS Records
Value Data: Enabled


Check all of these things, one at a time, to see if any help you.

This post has been edited by cluberti: 08 November 2005 - 03:34 PM

[jacob654]

I wanted to thank you for your assistance with this problem so far. The source of the problem became clear after enabling the logging you suggested. I was getting negative ping events that were causing the error. such as

"USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:210 ProcessGPOs: Machine role is 3.
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: PingBufferSize set as 2048
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: Adapter speed 10000000 bps
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: First time: -25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: Second time: 25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: Second time less than first time.
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: First time: 25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: Second time: 25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: First and second times match.
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: First time: -25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: Second time: -25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: First and second times match.
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:226 PingComputer: No data available
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: PingBufferSize set as 2048
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: Adapter speed 10000000 bps
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: First time: 25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: Second time: 25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: First and second times match.
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: First time: -25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: Second time: -25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: First and second times match.
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: First time: -25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:242 PingComputer: Second time: -25
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:257 PingComputer: First and second times match.
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:257 PingComputer: No data available
USERENV(20c.aa4) 14:20:57:257 ProcessGPOs: DSGetDCName failed with 59."

To correct the problem I set this flag in the registry to force it to treat the link as fast.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System]
"GroupPolicyMinTransferRate"=dword:00000000

This has reduced the frequency of the errors to a few times a day and the GPO seems to be updating correctly. Any additional input you have on the subject we would be appreciated.

[cluberti]

To be honest, negative ping errors are 99.9% of the time network driver or network speed autodetection issues. I would suggest either a ) upgrading your network drivers, or b ) changing the link autonegotiation for your servers so that you force the connection to a specific speed and specific duplex in the properties of your network card in Device Manager.

I'd also suggest you do both a and b, but doing one or the other may help on their own.

This post has been edited by cluberti: 14 November 2005 - 04:37 PM

[joeadmin]

If anyone is still having issues with 1054 errors and negative ping times, I have found an article that discusses this. It amounts to a problem on multiple-core systems. Adding the /usepmtimer switch to the boot.ini fixes the problem.


http://support.citrix.com/forums/thread.js...3&tstart=60


For more details on using the command line switch


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895980

[cluberti]

joeadmin, on Sep 21 2007, 10:35 AM, said:

If anyone is still having issues with 1054 errors and negative ping times, I have found an article that discusses this. It amounts to a problem on multiple-core systems. Adding the /usepmtimer switch to the boot.ini fixes the problem.


http://support.citrix.com/forums/thread.js...3&tstart=60


For more details on using the command line switch


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895980

This is no longer needed on Windows 2003 SP2 and higher (Server 2008), as it uses the pmtimer by default.