Can’t connect to domain computers until reboot

active-directoryauthenticationnetworkingwindows 7windows-server-2003

I have a domain with about 300 Windows 7 and XP machines, with the domain controllers running Server 2003.

Sometimes, I lose the ability to communicate/authenticate with some of the machines until I reboot my computer. This also happens from other computers and regardless of user account and operating system.

In other words, say I'm on ComputerA, and I can't connect to ComputerX. I can go to ComputerB and connect to ComputerX, but ComputerB may not be able to connect to ComputerY. If you reboot ComputerA, then it will be able to connect to ComputerX again.

Here are some messages from various utilities:

  • sc: [SC] OpenSCManager FAILED 1722: The RPC server is unavailable.
  • mmc (compmgmt.msc): Computer (computer name) cannot be managed. The network path was not found.
  • explorer (\\computer): Windows cannot access \\(computer name).
  • ping: Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss) / Average = 1ms

update:

  • netdom verify: The network path was not found. The command failed to complete successfully. (note that this succeeds on the other computers on the network)

Best Answer

The network works, and you're reporting this as happening on multiple computers. I'd say that you need to look at:

  • DNS: Try doing nslookups on the DCs when you run into a failure. Try querying the domain name, and see if you're getting back a valid list of DCs.
  • Apps that you run on the PCs that may be too smart for their own good. Especially firewalls, av, etc.
  • Network firewall rules. Are you trying to block ports > 1024 between the PCs and DCs? Windows doesn't like port range restrictions.
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