I am having problems with Browser configuration. I have Windows 2008 R2 Domain controller (64-bit). I have a mix of Windows XP and Windows 7 Desktops. (aproximately 30 total). If I do a NET VIEW command from my Domain Controller (there's only 1 - no Backup DC configured yet), I get a listing of 4 computers - all servers - all running Server 2008 (3 64 bit, 1 32 bit). One is the Domain Controller, plus three others. If I do a NET VIEW from any of these three, I get the same consistent list. If I do a NET VIEW from any other computer on my network, I get a listing of every other computer on the network - including a couple of other servers running Server 08 64 bit, Server 03, and every desktop machine. Obviously, something is wrong with the Browser functionality. Every Desktop PC has had the Computer Browser service disabled, and registry editted to include No in the MaintainServerList and False in the IsDomainMaster under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\ The four servers that are showing up in the abbreviated list have had the same registry edit applied to them. Since they are all Server 2008 machines, I can't use BrowStat to determine where they are getting their list from. Using BrowStat on all of the machines that have the "nearly complete" list shows that they are all getting their machine list from the server I have defined as a Backup Domain Browser. I have tried making one of the machines in the "abbreviated" list group the Master Domain Browser by setting IsDomainMaster to TRUE (on both the Server 2008 32-bit machine, and on the Domain controller that is running Server 2008 R2 64-bit). Netiher setting solved the problem. The key problem is that the machines on the abbreviated list include my domain controller, my Anti-Virus and Patch Management server, and our Mission-critical software server - in short the three most important machines on my network. These machines are intermittantly unavailable - I think it's when Browser elections are being forced, but that's not confirmed yet. So how do I find out where the abbreviate list servers are getting the names reported by the NET VIEW command since BROWSTAT is not supported on Server 2008 R2?Mark Myerscough, Ph.D. Director, Information Technology Wilber and Associates, P.C.

Okay - I may have found a resolution - but it doesn't make any sense to me, so I really don't like it. Server 1 - (Active Directory PDC Server Server 2008 R2-64 bit) my settings are: Services: Computer Browser - Enabled, Auto Start Registry: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\MaintainServerList - Yes HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\IsDomainMaster - I deleted this value Server 2 - (Server 2008-32 Bit machine that was also originally in the "abbreviated list"), my settings are: Services: Computer Browser - Enabled, Auto Start Registry: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\MaintainServerList - Yes HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\IsDomainMaster - I deleted this value Server 3 - (Server 2008-32 Bit machine that was originally in the "Nearly Complete list") my settings are: Services: Computer Browser - Enabled, Auto Start Registry: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\MaintainServerList - Yes HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\IsDomainMaster - False On every desktop machine, and all of the other servers in the system: Services: Computer Browser - Disabled Registry: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\MaintainServerList - No HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\IsDomainMaster - False However, three things bother me a bit about the results I am getting. 1. BROWSTAT STATUS shows that Server 3 is handling the browser list, and that it is also the only backup server available. 2. Now, a BROWSTAT GETPDC query returns an "access Denied" message 3. On Windows 7 / Server 2008 systems, if I go to Start, Computer,right-click to Add a Network Location, Choose a Custom Network Location, and then "Browse" to find the location, it takes about 15-20 seconds for the Network list to populate. The list is fully populated, but all of the machines on the network are on the same subnet, nearly all of them have GBit Nics, and every switch is a GBit switch. So it seems like 15 to 20 seconds to populate the list is a bit slow. The same delay takes place on a Windows XP / Server 03 system when browsing to My Network Places/Entire Network/Microsoft Windows Network/DomainName/ Mark Myerscough, Ph.D. Director, Information Technology Wilber and Associates, P.C.

1. Enable Network Discovery (it is disabled by default in Server 2008) 2. Set the Computer Browser service to Automatic 3. Browstat can be used if it is copied from a machine that has the command. Copy the browstat executable to the System32 folder. Let us know how it goes.Ketan Thakkar | Microsoft Online Community Support

Hello, be aware that this is not a specific Direcotry services question and belongs mote to the Windows server General forum: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/winservergen/threadsBest regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.