The system cannot contact a domain controller, random problem.

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

This is a new Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials setup, This server is basically running everything on the network as you would probably expect with an essentials setup, all the client PC?s are running Windows 8.1 Pro with Update 1 and are fully patched.

It is a pretty much out the box essentials setup integrated with Office 365 and Windows Azure (For an additional offsite backup) I have added a few additional group policy settings for mapping Network Printers, the Desktop Configuration (e.g. to disable the tablet lock screen) along with opening up open some ports on the client PC?s firewall as required for Sophos Endpoint Security to be deployed.

This has been running for around a month now with only one re occurring issue, randomly when users log on to their PC Windows asks the user to enter their Domain Credentials:



?The system cannot contact a domain controller to service the authentication request, please try again later.?

This happened randomly to one user on the Monday after I had set the new network up, however this week its happened to that user again, along with three other users now. It appears once the user has logged on Windows is forgetting the users Domain Credentials:

 

 

This basically means folder redirection does not work, no files can be accessed on the server, no printers, about all the user can do is access the internet.

When this has happened adding the user?s Domain Credentials in the Credentials manager appears to have fixed the problem, however im concerned about it happening again, and to other users.

 

 

Basically I?m wondering if anyone has any idea what might randomly cause this, or how I could go about troubleshooting the issue? it really does appear to be very random when this happens.

Thank you!

[sc302 Veteran]

network settings...

 

do an ipconfig/all on both the server and the client workstation and post them here.  if you don't want them posted pm me. 

 

 

 

99.999% of the time it is an improper configuration on your network card settings, pointing to a dns server out on the web and not the dc as your dns server.  also your server can only be the dns, there cannot be any internet dns servers setup on your nic cards of both the server and the workstations.  the server needs to point to itself, and the workstations need to point to the server for all dns resolution.  the dns service on the server will determine where to send the clients/server when it does a look up.

 

.001% of the time there is something going on and we will need to look at the eventlog to determine.  But being that an improper configuration is the most common cause by a landslide, lets look at your network card configuration on the computer and server.

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

I have sent you a PM with a full ipconfig from the server and a client PC

 

Thank you in advance for any insight in to this issue.

[sc302 Veteran]

Domain controller should not be dhcp, I think you will find issues in the log regarding this.

When doing a dc promo, or running the wizard, I am positive it throws up a big warning about dhcp and forces you to manually set the address of the nic before continuing.

I don't think the dns service likes this either and you may see log entries the dns event viewer.

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

  On 03/06/2014 at 17:24, sc302 said:

Domain controller should not be dhcp, I think you will find issues in the log regarding this.

When doing a dc promo, or running the wizard, I am positive it throws up a big warning about dhcp and forces you to manually set the address of the nic before continuing.

I don't think the dns service likes this either and you may see log entries the dns event viewer.

Thanks for the advice sc302, I had set the server to always be assigned the same IP address by the router, however that clearly causes issues!

Everything appears to be ok since manually assigning the IP address, and ensuring the servers DNS was set to the same as the servers IP address.

A newbie mistake I have certainly learned from, thanks once again :)

[sc302 Veteran]

Glad to help.