Hi all, I've recently been assigned to a Windows 2003 domain in which several computers are intermittently unable to recognize their domain controller. They're able to ping the DC by both hostname and IP, but have problems logging on to the domain, joining the domain, getting group policy and accessing mail through exchange. After some investigation I discovered that the DNS records in the domain are quite messed up - there are several A records where a single IP is assigned to two, three and even four hostnames. I have verified, though, that clients can update the DNS records on the server automatically (after doing release/renew IP on a client). My question is, what would be the best way to clear up the duplicates (and any other problems I may not have recognized) and get DNS working properly again? From DNS management, I've tried scavenging old records, clearing the DNS cache and updating server data. Do I need to wipe out all DNS records and rebuild? Manually delete duplicates? If erase and rebuild, how would that best be done? I've also noticed that DHCP is distributed in this network by the router, not the DC - is this appropriate? Would it be best practice to change the DHCP server to the DC, so it's distributing both DHCP and DNS, and thus facilitate dynamic DNS updating? The DC is 2003 Server, and the clients are running Vista Business. Many thanks in advance, Gadi

Server should be doing dhcp not the router. Server dns dynamic updates are done by the server dhcp not a router doing dhcp. Best to clean out all workstation dns entries and configure dhcp on the server while disabling it on the router.

Thanks very much for the response. In the end I removed all (four) DNS entries in both the forward and reverse zones for this workstation, removed it from AD, and then re-added it to the domain (from the workstation). Have done this to other machines on the domain as well that were having similar problems. They've been working OK with this DHCP setup for several years, so I decided to play it safe and use this solution on a case-by-case basis as needed. Thanks again :-)

Why in the world would you be unjoining and rejoining workstations to the domain? But then you are continuing a configuration that has caused you issues so that doesn't make any sense either.