Error:" Domain Controller for this domain cannot be located."

[Indra Budiman]

I am trying to setup my own computer lab at home following the Microsoft
Windows NT Technical Support self-paced training kit procedure. (Use 120
days trial version NT server 4.0 from the kit).
I had no problem installing NT server 4.0 as a PDC on my first desktop
computer (server1 in domain1).
But, when I try to install NT server 4.0 as a BDC on my second computer
which is a laptop computer (Toshiba Satelite Pro 420 CDS), I got an error
message: "Domain controller for this domain cannot be located."
My laptop has 3 partition: win 95 (1st partition), NT4.0 workstation (2nd
partition) and in 3rd partition I am planning to install NT server as a BDC.
I have no problem log on to the domain (which is my desktop PC)when I used
my laptop as win 95 or win NT Workstation. (FYI, I used ethernet PC card
D-Link DE-660). I use a hub to connect those two systems.
When I try to install NT server 4 as a BDC in the third partition, my laptop
could not detect my net card automatically, so I have to add it manually. I
passed this step without any problem. I even had the chance to type in the
IP address for the TCP/IP protocol. The problem happened after I did all of
them, and win nt setup was trying to find the PDC. I did add the BDC
netbios name(which is Server2) to my PDC through server manager in PDC. and
I typed the administrator user name and password and the domain name
(domain1) during the BDC setup from my laptop. But I still get the same
error message: "Domain Controller for this domain cannot be located".
I checked my My PC card configuration (IRQ=11, I/O port=ox300, net address=
blank, full duplex=off,auto negotiation=ON) through win95& winnt
workstation, and apply the same information during Nt server setup as a BDC.
Why cann't I find the PDC during the setup?
Anybody can help me with this one?

KOKO
(714)890-9004

[Chris Lawson]

> I did add the BDC netbios name(which is Server2) to my PDC through server
> manager in PDC. and I typed the administrator user name and password and
> the domain name (domain1) during the BDC setup from my laptop.

You shouldn't add the BDC under server manager. The machine account
should get created when the BDC contacts the PDC.

[Indra Budiman]

Thanks for the response from Chris and Mark.
I did remove the BDC from PDC through server manager. But I still got the
same problem. The funny thing was that when I reboot my laptop as a win 95
or win nt workstation, I can log on to the domain, which means that the
phisical communication between machine is no problem.

[Chris Lawson]

What protocols do you have on the server and your Win95 install? Are
they purely tcpip or is your laptop using netbeui.

A while back I had a similar problem. I *think* I got around it by
entering the ip address of the PDC instead of the domain name.

-Chris

[Trenton Hansen]

Mark Haase wrote:
>
> Had a problem like this twice, a long time ago (in a galaxy far
> away?). The details are a little hazy, but as I recall, on one, we
> had to load an LMHOSTS file during the network setup portion (there's
> anoptrion to import an LMHOSTS file somewhere - exactly *where* is the
> part that's hazy).

Right-click Network Neighnorhood, select Properties. Click the Protocols
tab. Select your Protocol (TCP/IP on my machine) and click Properties.
Click the WINS Address tab. You will see the checkbox for "Enable
LMHOSTS Lookup" and the button labeled "Import LMHOSTS" near the bottom.

Trenton