Windows: 98/NT clients refuse to see 2003 Servers

[Micronaut]

I've tried the following:

Directory Services Client
Disable SMB Signing on the server
Enable SMB signing on the client
WINS
DHCP Auto-register DNS
LMHOSTS (w/ #PRE & #DOM)
HOSTS
Enable NETBIOS over TCP/IP (on client & server)

I looked at the .adm policies but didn't see anything that might help me.

They all talk to the 2000 Server (DC) (which has had it's Schema & Domain upgraded to 2003) - but NOT either of the 2003 servers (one is a DC, the other is just a file server).

Before a reboot, a few NT boxes could see them, after reboot - nada. It can see it in the browse master list (Network Neighborhood), but can't access them.

All the Win2k & XP clients work great.

Me and my boss spent about 7 hours banging our heads on this one.

I know it can be done. But SOMETHING is not misconfigured/configured too strictly. I just have no clue what it is.

I'm thinking it's server side though.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[netsysadmin]

Did you check the built in firewall on the 2003 server? Make sure you are not blocking anything with it such as SMB.

John

 

[thriemus]

Remove IPX/SPX it messes up win9x -> 2K3 servers in my experience, install TCP/IP and Netbeui on the win9x boxes, Also check that dns suffix is being allocated using DHCP on the server.

If you can paste in the output of ipconfig /all from a win9x box it would help. (ipconfig /all > c:\ipconfig.txt is handy to grab it)

 

[Micronaut]

Firewall is disabled on both 2003 servers.

Only one NT had IPX/SPX. Had no effect when I disabled it.

All 9x & NT have NetBEUI on them. The Server 2003 doesn't - installing it requires a workaround I'm not sure I want to go through with due to some special packet filtering we're running on the file server (no packet filtering on the 2003 DC) to prevent two identical machines (redundant file servers) from being on the network at the same time. This may be our only real option however. However, with NTSP6 & the DS client & 98 w/DS client - they SHOULD all be talking fine over TCP/IP.

I configured the DHCP myself and verified that DHCP was indeed supplying the correct DNS suffix.

I looked at the SET & IPCONFIG replies as well.
Their logon server was the 2000 DC (still has all FSMO roles).

I've even rearranged the binding order to no avail.

I'm sure I'll be there sometime today. I'll see what info I can get.

 

[thriemus]

When you installed active directory did you set it to win2000/2k3 only or leave support for win9x?

 

[Micronaut]

It's still in mixed-mode (per 2000) or whatever the equivalent functional level (in 2003) -- but that's only for Servers, not clients.

I just talked to my boss - turns out it was combination of things:

Disabled SMB signing (as I thought)
And WINS Scope was defined in DHCP. Took that out, and it works.

 

[Granorense]

Originally posted by: thriemus
When you installed active directory did you set it to win2000/2k3 only or leave support for win9x?

It is called Native or Mixed mode. To support a older platforms you leave it in mixed mode, if you select native, your win 98 clients will not be able to access the server.

 

[Micronaut]

Actually, that's not correct. Clients have nothing to do with it. Only the other domain controllers in the domain.

In 2000 Domains, yes, it's Native or Mixed, but in 2003 it's:
* Windows 2000 mixed domain functional level (formerly mixed mode)
* Windows 2000 forest functional level (formerly native mode)
* Windows 2003 functional level (2003 only mode)

 

[stash]

You had to disable SMB signing even with the DS client installed?

 

[Micronaut]

No, that was part of our troubleshooting - we didn't neccesarily try everything at once.

The key was the DHCP WINS Scope setting