DCPROMO fails with error Please help

[ben]

We already have a PDC running Win2k but I want to bring another machine online as another PDC. When I run Dcpromo on the new server, it fails with error "Domain cannot be contacted". Ensure that the DNS domain name is correct.
I know that the DNS is correct because the DNS is running on the existing PDC.
Also, this same server can connect to the network and browse all resources etc.
So why is Dcpromo failing? Do I have to run DNS on this server for DCprompo to work?
Thanks

[shovel204]

Make sure that the computer you are trying to promote is pointing to the other DC for DNS and set a default gateway pointing to it. Thid should allow the promo to work.
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ben at 9/18/2002 12:40:27 PM


We already have a PDC running Win2k but I want to bring another machine online as another PDC. When I run Dcpromo on the new server, it fails with error "Domain cannot be contacted". Ensure that the DNS domain name is correct.
I know that the DNS is correct because the DNS is running on the existing PDC.
Also, this same server can connect to the network and browse all resources etc.
So why is Dcpromo failing? Do I have to run DNS on this server for DCprompo to work?
Thanks

[ben]

Thanks, it worked, but why do I have to point it to the existing PDC?
That is, why do I have to use the IP of the existing PDC as my gateway? Also, do I have to leave it that way for it to function properly? That is, can I change the gateway IP once am finished with DCpromo?
The reason I ask is because we use another machine, a unix box for our gateway.
thanks again


------------
shovel204 at 9/18/2002 1:02:18 PM



Make sure that the computer you are trying to promote is pointing to the other DC for DNS and set a default gateway pointing to it. Thid should allow the promo to work.
------------
ben at 9/18/2002 12:40:27 PM


We already have a PDC running Win2k but I want to bring another machine online as another PDC. When I run Dcpromo on the new server, it fails with error "Domain cannot be contacted". Ensure that the DNS domain name is correct.
I know that the DNS is correct because the DNS is running on the existing PDC.
Also, this same server can connect to the network and browse all resources etc.
So why is Dcpromo failing? Do I have to run DNS on this server for DCprompo to work?
Thanks

[shovel204]

You should be able to set the gateway back once promo is finished.
It just seems that a gateway solves the communications problems that seem to pop up when running a dcpromo. Usually if you can ping the forest root by both FQDN and IP then dcpromo will go through, if it doesnt the majority of times a gateway will resolve the issue.
You might need to ensure there is a DNS entry for the second DC so that replication takes place.


------------
ben at 9/18/2002 5:28:29 PM

Thanks, it worked, but why do I have to point it to the existing PDC?
That is, why do I have to use the IP of the existing PDC as my gateway? Also, do I have to leave it that way for it to function properly? That is, can I change the gateway IP once am finished with DCpromo?
The reason I ask is because we use another machine, a unix box for our gateway.
thanks again


------------
shovel204 at 9/18/2002 1:02:18 PM



Make sure that the computer you are trying to promote is pointing to the other DC for DNS and set a default gateway pointing to it. Thid should allow the promo to work.
------------
ben at 9/18/2002 12:40:27 PM


We already have a PDC running Win2k but I want to bring another machine online as another PDC. When I run Dcpromo on the new server, it fails with error "Domain cannot be contacted". Ensure that the DNS domain name is correct.
I know that the DNS is correct because the DNS is running on the existing PDC.
Also, this same server can connect to the network and browse all resources etc.
So why is Dcpromo failing? Do I have to run DNS on this server for DCprompo to work?
Thanks

[ben]

Thanks again, I have entered the IP of our UNIX box that all our systems use for gateway.
You wrote:

"You might need to ensure there is a DNS entry for the second DC so that replication takes place."

Do you mean on the unix box or on the Win2k box we use for DNS.
Here is our setup:

Unix box: gateway.
Win2KPDC1: DNS
Then, this other PDC (PDC2)that the questions are about.
Thanks

------------
shovel204 at 9/18/2002 5:56:41 PM

You should be able to set the gateway back once promo is finished.
It just seems that a gateway solves the communications problems that seem to pop up when running a dcpromo. Usually if you can ping the forest root by both FQDN and IP then dcpromo will go through, if it doesnt the majority of times a gateway will resolve the issue.
You might need to ensure there is a DNS entry for the second DC so that replication takes place.


------------
ben at 9/18/2002 5:28:29 PM

Thanks, it worked, but why do I have to point it to the existing PDC?
That is, why do I have to use the IP of the existing PDC as my gateway? Also, do I have to leave it that way for it to function properly? That is, can I change the gateway IP once am finished with DCpromo?
The reason I ask is because we use another machine, a unix box for our gateway.
thanks again


------------
shovel204 at 9/18/2002 1:02:18 PM



Make sure that the computer you are trying to promote is pointing to the other DC for DNS and set a default gateway pointing to it. Thid should allow the promo to work.
------------
ben at 9/18/2002 12:40:27 PM


We already have a PDC running Win2k but I want to bring another machine online as another PDC. When I run Dcpromo on the new server, it fails with error "Domain cannot be contacted". Ensure that the DNS domain name is correct.
I know that the DNS is correct because the DNS is running on the existing PDC.
Also, this same server can connect to the network and browse all resources etc.
So why is Dcpromo failing? Do I have to run DNS on this server for DCprompo to work?
Thanks

[shovel204]

The pdc2 should have a reference in the DNS on pdc1. If they can ping each other by FQDN and IP then replication should be able to take place. The two DC's are in the same forest? Same Domain? If so they replicate any changes made between each other.

------------
ben at 9/18/2002 6:04:51 PM

Thanks again, I have entered the IP of our UNIX box that all our systems use for gateway.
You wrote:

"You might need to ensure there is a DNS entry for the second DC so that replication takes place."

Do you mean on the unix box or on the Win2k box we use for DNS.
Here is our setup:

Unix box: gateway.
Win2KPDC1: DNS
Then, this other PDC (PDC2)that the questions are about.
Thanks

------------
shovel204 at 9/18/2002 5:56:41 PM

You should be able to set the gateway back once promo is finished.
It just seems that a gateway solves the communications problems that seem to pop up when running a dcpromo. Usually if you can ping the forest root by both FQDN and IP then dcpromo will go through, if it doesnt the majority of times a gateway will resolve the issue.
You might need to ensure there is a DNS entry for the second DC so that replication takes place.


------------
ben at 9/18/2002 5:28:29 PM

Thanks, it worked, but why do I have to point it to the existing PDC?
That is, why do I have to use the IP of the existing PDC as my gateway? Also, do I have to leave it that way for it to function properly? That is, can I change the gateway IP once am finished with DCpromo?
The reason I ask is because we use another machine, a unix box for our gateway.
thanks again


------------
shovel204 at 9/18/2002 1:02:18 PM



Make sure that the computer you are trying to promote is pointing to the other DC for DNS and set a default gateway pointing to it. Thid should allow the promo to work.
------------
ben at 9/18/2002 12:40:27 PM


We already have a PDC running Win2k but I want to bring another machine online as another PDC. When I run Dcpromo on the new server, it fails with error "Domain cannot be contacted". Ensure that the DNS domain name is correct.
I know that the DNS is correct because the DNS is running on the existing PDC.
Also, this same server can connect to the network and browse all resources etc.
So why is Dcpromo failing? Do I have to run DNS on this server for DCprompo to work?
Thanks