I'm not the"server guy" on this project, as a matter of fact, this is my first ever server installation. The main dude doesn't seem to know what is going on so I'm trying to fix this. Here's the issue. We are tying to install a Dell Poweredge 2900 server that is running Win2k3 as a domain controller/network for about 25 computers. Our current setup is this - router to firewall (which has 2 NICs, red and green) to switch, the server and the other computers are connected to the switch. The problem we are having is that none of the computers can access the server or each other but they can access the internet. From the little I've learned so far, the DNS on the server is disabled and it shouldn't be, but whenever I try to enable it, the dialog box hangs. As a matter of fact, whenever I try to do much on the server, it just hangs. It takes about 2 and a half hours just to boot up (I'm sure this isn't normal), I can't access the internet from it and I can't connect USB storage devices. When I open IE on the server, it doesn't even try to do anything, it just opens it with a white page and there is nothing going on in the background. It's really frustrating at this point as we have been doing this for the last 3 weeks and still can't even get a simple file sharing going among users. I honestly would prefer to reinstall Windows Server 2003 all overbut even that has proven to be difficult. When I insert the CD, it starts the setup and then tell me it can't find thehard drive. So at this point, I can't move forward or backwards. I desperately need help on what I can do to resolve this. Do I reinstall Win2k3 or can I fix my existing install? If so, how. P.S: I can get into most of the menu items but it seems like when I want to change anything that has to do with networking, that's when it hangs. For instance, if I try to go into Network Connections or enable DNS. The server's NICs are Broadcom.

wow - are you sure there isnt a "server guy" anywhere you could grab? before I get started, you should know - this question has nothing to do with Exchange Server. in the future, please post in the correct area. you described several issues, but all i can tell you with out an entire course on networking is: make sure your workstations are pointed to your domain controller for dns make sure your domain controller is actually running the dns service. this is configured automaticly if it was the first active directory server before you jump in IE, try to ping. can you ping your default gateway? do you have the default gateway configured as the internal interface of your firewall? where are you located? i could possibly provide you a list of local experts to assist.