I have a 30 node LAN running Win 95&98. All of these machines log >on to a NT domain. The nodes ran through 3com 3300 switches and a Cisco >2700 router connected to other offices. The 3com switches are configured to >segment multiple VLAN's on the local network. > >Recently, I had a PC get knocked off of the domain for no apparent reason. >No matter what i do I can not get this PC back on. Also, I have tried to >add a different PC to the domain but with no success. At logon, I receive: >'No Domain Server was available to validate your password....' > >TCP/IP tests good. I'm able to ping any node on the network including the >PDC, router, and switches. I'm even able to access the internet over the >LAN thru a DSL router. > >These are the things that I've already tried: > >- Remove Client for MS Networks and reinstall. >- Change computer name. >- Remove TCP/IP and reinstall. >- Every possible NIC configuration (10 MB, 100 MB, Half duplex, Full duplex, >Auto). Also, corresponded each of these settings on the port on the switch. >- Replace NIC card. >- Using different ports on the hub. >- Add LMHOST file to preload the domain controller name, IP address, and >domain name. >- Re-boot the PDC. > >Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm at a loss. My hair is >falling out over this. >Thanks again.

A couple of thoughts... Why are you using LMHOSTS files and not using DHCP/WINS... One thought I had is could this be a license issue...

They were just some things that i have tried since nothing else is working. I actually do use DHCP/WINS. Can you give me some more information on the possible license issue. I've thought this might be a problem but when I look in License manager, I'm allowed 105 concurrent connections on a per server sheme. Am I over looking something? Please, any suggestions?

Do you have more then one DHCP server? IS the DHCP server out of IP addresses? Are you able to give the computer a static IP then try to join the domain? Are all the machines using TCP/IP as there only protocol?

only one dhcp. I've tried assigning static too. Still nothing. TCP/IP seems to be working real good. I can ping the PDC by number and name. Yes, it is the only protocol being run

So you can ping the PDC from the machine that says PDC unavailable? Are you certain that the Domain name of the server is corect when you try to add the client back to the network? Are you certain the subnet mask is correctly configured? These may seem like obvious things to check but those are the things that sometimes get overlooked.

Yes, I have looked at this too. Thanks for your suggestion, though.