Windows NT 4 domain browser service failing when MAC on network

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Windows NT 4 domain browser service failing when MAC on network

Hi

History: Fully working NT4 SP6 domain with no browser issues since installation (8 years +). Install MAC OSx 10.5.5 onto domain and NT server logs event ID's:8021, 8032 etc (in other words the browsing service goes out of action). I can get the service back by either restarting the services or worst case re-booting the PDC. Errors can appear either within a couple of hours usually when the MACs online. Remove the MAC and the errors do not appear (this has been proven over a couple of weeks).

- Initially I thought ADmitMAC was the problem, but this has now been removed and the problem still persists.
- Checking the MAC I see that Bonjour is in use with a printer and SMB sharing is disabled, Appletalk is on.
- I've now built a Virtual Server and put the MAC into that environment with a restored inmage of our NT4 PDC, new BDC, Windows 2003 server, XP server.
**The MAC up to now over 2 days has not caused any problems in the virtual network (strange??)**

So I have a production network with NT4 providing domain, mix of Windows 2000(5), 2003(15) servers, XP (50ish), Vista(1).

1. Can someone advise what MAC network services may interact with the nt4 browser services.
2. Advise of networking services to disable bar standard TCPIP comms above and beyond Q1.
3. Any thoughts on why my production environment gets the browser problems and my virtual test network does not. The only thing I change is the IP address on the MAC between environments.

NOTE: I normally only support PC environments so I'm new to MACs.

Thanks

Apple MAC Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Oct 31, 2008 9:47 AM

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Answer 1

bbortig

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Nov 1, 2008 12:15 PM in response to OmegaIT

Hi,

I have had the same issue for about 2 weeks now. It all started after we upgraded two machines to 10.5.5. I did not realize this issue could be caused by the MACs immediately but I noticed that the BDCs log the errors during office hours and never at night or week-ends when the two MACs are off.
I have tried all KB suggested by Microsoft but nothing has changed, then I found your post.
If I am not wrong the SMB sharing is enabled but I will check on Monday.

Do you have any news?

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Answer 2

bbortig

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Nov 3, 2008 3:04 AM in response to OmegaIT

The two MACS do not have any reference to the NT4 domain as this is an old domain we will decomission but for now it needs to be running. They point to a Win 2003 domain. I have removed the ldap3 service and they access shares on the 2003 shares through the smb protocol.

The problem is the browser service on the NT4 server, even restarting it won't solve unless we restart the server. The BDC are promoted to master browser when the problem occurs but they are unable to solve the role.

We had the same issue this morning after a couple of hours the MACS were turned on after a week end with no issue ( we run 24X7 ).

I am thinking on isolating the macs behind a firewall to inspect what protocol is generating the problem.

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Answer 3

OmegaIT Author

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Nov 4, 2008 8:36 AM in response to bbortig

Well my MACs ran find in the test environment with only a NT4 PDC & BDC for approx 1 1/2 days. So I added to the virtual net a XP desktop & a Windows 200 server just to provide a similar environment to what we have, minus quantity of systems. I also fired up VMWare Fusion with Vista SP1, after several hours we got browser errors.

I've upgrade VMWare Fusion to v2.0, after 1 day we have no problems yet....But I'm still not convinced the problem has gone so I will leave on test for another day. I simply just have the MAC and Vista mapped to drive on the NT4 server. The system will just sit there with no use....

Do you use VMFusion with XP or Vista?

I'll update my post with further results...

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Answer 4

OmegaIT Author

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Nov 4, 2008 8:41 AM in response to OmegaIT

Oh yes.....I also thought about using a firewall to resolve this problem. I also will try disabling Bonjour and anything else like appletalk at some point but if I can't find a solution then a firewall will have to be used.

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Answer 5

bbortig

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Nov 4, 2008 8:54 AM in response to OmegaIT

We don't use VMWare Fusion. Just MACs that use smb on a win 2003 share to save their work.
Today I put them behind a firewall opened up 80, 443, 1352 ( lotus notes ) and 9100 for printing to a defined ip address. So far no problems after a day. Usually at this stage of the day we would have run a couple of times into the problem.

Disabling appletalk did not seem to fix the issue, but i did not really test it deeply.

For now I am waiting. No one in apple with suggestions ?

I will update you with any news.

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Answer 6

OmegaIT Author

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Nov 5, 2008 1:45 AM in response to bbortig

Hi

Well updating to VMware Fusion v2.0 did not resolve the problem, 36hrs running and it tripped with the browser errors. I have a normal Vista SP0 client on the production network and that doesn't cause any problems. I didn't think it was was VMF/Vista.

I'll now try running the system with just OS / drive mappings / appletalk off and bonjour service disabled. Will update on result...If that doesn't work it'll be a firewall for me as per your set up.

Any Apple guys on this forum with suggestions?

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