Hi all, Ive been getting an error when trying to add some new machines to my existing domain. When trying to add the machines I get an error A domain controller for the domain exemphasis could not be contacted. (This is on the XP pro client machines) These machines arnt getting assigned addresses either, the DHCP server is showing as "Not authorized". And final piece of this puzzle under DNS in the server, I get this error every 11 minutes. The DNS server was unable to open Active Directory. This DNS server is configured to obtain and use information from the directory for this zone and is unable to load the zone without it. Check that the Active Directory is functioning properly and reload the zone. The event data is the error code. The DNS server was unable to open Active Directory. This DNS server is configured to obtain and use information from the directory for this zone and is unable to load the zone without it. Check that the Active Directory is functioning properly and reload the zone. The event data is the error code. Anyone have any ideas even where to start with this one? Ive tried authorizing the DHCP but the only option is to unauthorize (and then authorize again, but this makes no difference) and Ive also tried setting up DNS forward/reverese lookups...this wont work either. Any Ideas? Thanks.

Start by addressing your DNS issues. Then Active Directory should work and everything else will flow from that. "Ive also tried setting up DNS forward/reverese lookups" That's a concern. You should not have touched those without a clear understanding of DNS. Look at the DNS event viewer log and post what the errors are. Imagine the power if you knew how to internet search

Cheers for le reply, Heres what the event viewer says Error: Event ID: 4000 The DNS server was unable to open Active Directory. This DNS server is configured to obtain and use information from the directory for this zone and is unable to load the zone without it. Check that the Active Directory is functioning properly and reload the zone. The event data is the error code. Warning: Event ID: 4013 The DNS server was unable to open the Active Directory. This DNS server is configured to use directory service information and can not operate without access to the directory. The DNS server will wait for the directory to start. If the DNS server is started but the appropriate event has not been logged, then the DNS server is still waiting for the directory to start. Thanks.

Have you reviewed this? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316685 Have you done any rights restrictions like taking the everyone system group out of disk access? If you look at the forward lookup zone you should have a host listing for your server. Does the ip address in this record match the servers ip address in tcp/ip properties? Imagine the power if you knew how to internet search

There is no right restrictions at the moment (yes NONE, its as crazy as it sounds) In the forward lookup zone there is nothing, and Im still get the same error as first post when trying to add one.

If you have a forward lookup zone [what happened to the original entries?] you don't add another. Can you add a host entry for the server itself to the existing forward lookup zone. Imagine the power if you knew how to internet search