Domain controllers and “computer browser” are part of Microsoft networking, which runs on top of TCP/IP .

In your case i suggest that you Install WINS on Server2 (The Dual one) and configure the entire network to use it for NetBIOS name resolution.

Regarding that when you restarted Server1, it took a long time to get the complete browse list, this is what i meant by that Microsoft Networks are one of the worst things to depend on, to your knowledge, in some cases it might take more than an hour for the browse list to be correctly displayed to the entire network.

The probblems with the Microsoft Networks are browser elections, and the transfer of the Domain Master Browser and the browse list from one machine to another which takes a long time, beside that it usually depends on broadcasts which doesn’t cross routers.

WINS should help you speed up things, but it will not be a 100% complete solution, and its better to disable in all machines except the the one that will hold the WINS role to participate in the election process, to do that, navigate to the following key
HLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesBrowserParameters, edit the “MaintainServerList” value and set it to “yes” on the WINS Server, and to “no” on all other computers. This way no server will try to participate in the election process and the WINS server will always hold the browse list, note that this server should be up most of the time, and should be up and running before any other machine.

No there are 3 separate Domains with 3 separate PDCs – Servers 1, 2 and 3.

This is in our Software Development Lab where Server 1 is for Building Software, Administering AntiVirus, etc.

Server 2 is a Test setup running Windows 2000 and one particular Configuration of Equipment simulating a Customer’s Site.

Server 3 is a Test setup running Windows NT and a different Configuration of Equipment simulating a different Customer’s Site.

I hope that clarifies the situation?

PLEASE tell me this is not correct!!!

For any given domain, there must be one, and only one PDC. All other domain controllers MUST be BDCs (Backup Domain Controllers).

If you want to talk about this on the phone, then send me a private message, and I’ll send you my phone number.

Bob

I have managed to get a bit further – first some details of my set up (each Server is its own PDC for itself and its Workstations which are members of the Domain):
Server 1 – W2K IP x.y.z.2
Server 2 – W2K IP x.y.z.40 and a.b.c.201 (dual network cards)
Server 3 – NT IP x.y.z.20
Workstation 2.1 – W2K Pro a.b.c.101
Workstation 2.2 – W2K Pro a.b.c.102
Workstation 3.1 – NT Work x.y.z.38
Workstation 3.2 – NT Work x.y.z.39

Now all PCs have the “Computer Browser”, “Workstation” and “Server” Services running.
I believe All the PCs have ‘Client for Microsoft Networks’.
Wins is not being used. Servers 1 and 2 have DNS (for their Domains).
Searching for the missing Computers from Explorer did not find them.
I have not yet checked if netbios is enabled on all the PCs.

Now the normal Mask for Subnet x.y.z is 255.255.252.0
I found that 3.2 had 255.255.255.0 – when I corrected it and rebooted it magically appeared in the Browse List on Server 1!

I used the IP addresses of 2.1 and 2.2 in a text file and imported them to Symantec Antivirus on Server 1 which has now allowed me to Administer them okay. Doing this actually made Server 2 visible in the Browse List on 2.2!

However, on rebooting Server 1 and looking at its Browse List, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 3, 3.1 and 3.2 are not visible! Pinging seems to sometime make them appear – not sure if this needs to be done from one end or both?

Any more ideas or suggestions?

1) Henry, you mentioned that you have multiple domain controllers.
- Are they all for the same domain?
- Where is the PDC with respect to the BDC’s?
- Is WINS running on all domain controllers?
- Are there (Horrors!) multiple PDC’s for the same domain?
- Are all clients authenticating to the domain controllers (as opposed to merely being members of a workgroup with the same name) ?
- If there are multiple domains, have appropriate trust relationships been established with them?
- Do the event logs on all DC’s show any signs of elections being forced by “rogue” DC’s or any other system?
* For example, there was a known issue with older SAMBA installs (about 5 years ago, give or take) winning browser elections locally, but never maintaining proper browse lists.
- As mraslan pointed out, what does the network/router picture look like? Is is possible that you might need to turn on UDP Helper functions on your routers?

Post some replies to these questions, and the group as a whole will be in a better position to assist you.

Bob

Second, in Symantec Corporate Edition, there is an import feature, that is you can write the machine names in a text file, and import this file when you browse for the clients

In my opinion, Microsoft Networks Browsing feature is one of the worst things you can depend on, it has many problems and if you have your network separated by subnets, then many problems you must deal with, Installing WINS might help you

To check this is Windows XP: Open Control Panel, Open Network Connections, Right-click your network connection and select Properties, Then make sure you see ‘Client for Microsoft Netowrks’, and make sure there is a check next to it.

Hope that helps,
Ian