[SoCoSA/discuss] WinXP -- joining a Win2K domain

[Steve S.]

All,

I've done this previously, and smoothly; but this time I screwed up a
prior step, and things are MUCH less smooth...

Got a WinXP-PROsp2 laptop, joining a Win2K-centric environment.

What happened was, I accidentally gave the system the wrong hostname
(host named for user -- wrong user's name).  Bad BAD me.  Took me a
while to get THAT fixed, but now it is.  However, I had to boot it
standalone WITHOUT being network-aware, domain'ed, etc, as the network
seemed to be forcing the old ID on it.  <sigh>  But I did it.

Now, I can't rejoin the domain with the new name.  Yes, I've added the
new system-name to the servers' Active Directory, exactly as I added
the (wrong) original name.

What happens now is this:

In the "System Properties" box (either via Control Panel, or "My
Computer/Properties"), on the  "Computer Name" tab, I click the
"Change" button.  I hit the "Domain" radiobutton, and enter the name
of the domain (call it "XYZ").

When it works (as I recall) I get a challenge-prompt telling me to
enter a name/passwd with auth to join the domain; I do so, and I'm
done.

Now, I get an error pop-up, "a domain-controller for the domain XYZ
could not be contacted.  Ensure that the domain name is typed
correctly".

"Could not be contacted?"  In a CMD window, I type "nslookup" and the
DNS server running on the PDC happily responds -- so it sure CAN be
contacted.  All the OTHER systems on the net talk happily to the
domain controller!  No, no router-rules blocking WINS/NetBIOS traffic
(no routers between here and there, and the WinXP Firewall is off).

Domain typed correctly?  Oh, yeah -- it's not "XYZ" but it's just as
simple, and it's right.


Any help VERY gratefully accepted!  Thanks...