Hey guys i need some help here i just builded a file server for the office i'm working at. Its a Dual Xeon 2.8GHz with 1GB of RAM and 2 70GB SCSI Ultra320 @15K RPM. I installed Windows Server 2003 on it....setup the shared folders i wanted already. I'm just wondering how would u get all the workstation with Windows XP to have that login screen (like the Novell Netware login screen) where it would map all the drive...and download watever is needs.

 

welp it depends.....you want workgroups or domain setup?

if you want NOVELL>* sorry had to do that but if you want NDS functionality then you'll want to setup AD domain then setup each workstation to be a part of that domain. You can set login scripts using AD.

 

the server domain controller is setup and accounts/computers are added. why wouldnt the workstation find the domain. i typed the domain name just the way the server is set up. is there anything else i have to do for the workstation to detect it?

 

Easiest Way using Small Business Server it to go to the Shared SYSVOL Folder to <Domain> and Scripts in there create a batch file that will do the maps.

ie. net use <Drive Letter> \\Server\SharePath

Put those in the batch file and save i.e. MapDrives.bat

and then go to Active Directory for Users and Computers,
Go to User Name right click Properties, and go to Profile under the User Profile Login Script enter the name. MapDrives.bat

So when the users login to that domain server it will execute the batch program to do the net use and will have the folders mapped.

 

well i'm not even close to that part....i'm have problem setting up the workstations to contact the server domain controller...i just need to a simple controller...do i need to setup the domain tree and child?

 

you prestaged the computer accounts in a container. That's fine. But at the workstation you need to make sure it's part of a DOMAIN and not a WORKGROUP. You do that by right-clicking on my computer icon >properties>cpu name

When you boot and get to the login screen the LOGIN TO: should contain your AD Domain, if you see the name of your workstation then the cpu is still a part of a workgroup



If you already did that then you're already done but from your orignal question it didn't seem that way.

 

Oh man Jimmy. If you're asking this you're out of your league. Just get someone that knows how to do it so it's done correctly. And I don't mean just the workstation part, but the whole damn thing because you're obviously lacking some serious knowledge.

 

One thing Zap left out that seems to mess with people w/o knowledge is, when it asks for a login and password to join the domain, use a DOMAIN ADMIN login and password.

I got stuck on that about 5yrs ago when adding an NT workstation to the domain...

If your doing this because you've been elected to that is fine, but if the company has money and an IT staff then you shouldn't be doing this. Get someone who knows more and can do a more thorough job on it. This is something you/they will have to love with, so if you fuck it up now it will come back to haunt you, a lot.

 

Wouldnt it be easier/quicker to assign it on the domain level or ou level? I am thinking it is a small shop so this doesn't matter because he has all night to get it done.

 

eh whatever, everybody has to stretch their skills sometimes.....good luck! post if you need any more help


I'm no fan of SBS but it's pretty straightforward in terms of the setup as the wizard will go through and make sure everything is configured to work together....

 

I've never work with MS Windows Server before....i've setup our Novell Server a few year back and its still running....its just that all the workstation i've upgrade is now way faster than the server =) i have all the time i need to get this new one up and going while they're connected to the other one. I'm acutally the only IT guy in the firm for almost 6 years already and its my first job ya'll. I'm still going to school too tho.

So, help a nigga out!!!!

Well check it out....i've set up the domain controller already on the server. I've try to switch the workgroup to a domain but it keep telling me it can't contact that domain....could it because the computer i'm trying to use is on a WiFi?

 

make sure you're on the same network. I would guess you have fixed IP addreses.....that is you don't have a DHCP server running. Maybe your novell server handing out IP addresses. Anyway make sure the workstations and client are on the same network. Also make sure you have TCP/IP enabled. I would hope you do but if you were running a novell environment w/o internet access you could run w/o TCP/IP.

*did you try pinging the server?
*where do you have DNS running? that is SBS the only DNS server running?


GOTO:

run>cmd>ipconfig

make sure the server and the clients are on the same network. For example,

if the server has this address:

1.1.1.x

THEN

the workstations must have

1.1.1.x

as well. X being the variable of any possible ip address between 2 and 254.

 

The workgroup does connect..so hardware is fine....TCP/IP is enable...all the computers have the IP address of 192.168.1.x provided by the wireless router. my Novell server have nothing to do with the new windows server 2003 but sharing the same router to get on the internet. keep telling me it can't contact the domain.

 

can your workstations PING the AD domain controller? Are you sure DNS is enabled and working correctly on our win2k3 server? If it isn't AD will not running properly

what do you have running on your novell serverr?

 

i can ping the server....still can't join the domain with the workstation.

 

try pinging the workstation from the server, if it can't get there, that is your problem, the workstation is sending data and getting no reply.

Is there any sort of message your getting that indicates any reason why your not able to join the domain?

on the workstation open a command promt (cmd on 2k/xp) and do an nslookup to see if it is able to find the DNS server (W2k3 SBS server).

Check cables if all else fails