Can't Find Domain Controller: Unique Issue?

[JoeVerde]

Hello all,

I have an issue that I couldn't find posted anywhere else. For the past month or so, every time I boot up Windows XP in Parallels, type in my password and attempt to log in to my account on our company domain, I get the following error message:

"Windows cannot connect to the domain, either because the domain controller is down or otherwise unavailable, or because your computer account was not found. Please try again later. If this message continues to appear, contact your system administrator for assistance."

(Before suggesting the obvious: Yes, my computer account is there, and yes, the domain controller is online.)

Here's the kicker: If I go up to Devices > Network Adapter 1 > and change the connection from Default Adapter to Shared Networking, sometimes it will allow me to log in! But then sometimes I have to switch back and forth between Default Adapter and Shared Networking 3 or 4 times before I can finally log in. It's not consistent at all.

I've tried reinstalling Parallels Tools but it didn't help. Any ideas out there? I'm stumped.

 

[JoeVerde]

SOLUTION: Active Directory

Okay, we've got a winner!

My IT Lead figured out that it was due to my computer not being in Active Directory.

I had duplicated the Parallels virtual disk for use on another station to test. I changed the computer name, thinking that would be enough, but it wasn't.

To fix this problem, we went to System Properties > Computer Name > Change... and removed the computer from the domain (created some bogus workgroup name), then restarted. After restart, we logged in as local admin and then re-added the computer to our company's domain. This required another restart, and then we were able to log in successfully under my domain account on the first try.

Now it remains to be seen if the other computer got the "boot" from Active Directory by doing this procedure, but for now it appears to have worked...

Has anyone else out there experienced this problem?

 

[darkone]

one of the keys associated with a machine name, in AD, is the SID (Security Identifier)

Using an installation on another machine and changing the name and not the SID as well, can cause issues within AD. This isnt Parallels specific, Norton Ghost even comes/came (ive not used it in a long time) with a SID changer application.