Single Domain. 2x 2008R2 DC GC DNS. 1x 2003R2 (legacy apps only). One of the 2008R2s "ServerB"(for Bad) is not seen on the network by XP boxes & by the 2003R2 server, when browsing network PCs. They can see it via UNC name: Start - Run - \\ServerB. Its seen OK from 7 boxes in their network browse lists. The other 2008R2 (PDC FSMORoles) "ServerA" is seen normally. Rebooting ServerB cleared the fault for quite some hours (not sure exactly, looked good, I went on to other things). All other network functions on ServerB seem normal. Event Logs: AD clean, Application Server 1x4202, DNS clean, File Services clean. dcdiag /v has no errors or warnings. The fault was happening intermittently/commonly with both ServerA & B. Added NetBIOS over TCP/IP to NICs on both ServerA & B, also turned on their Computer Browser service. That seemed to have fixed it. Both A & B were visible. Then the fault came back, just with ServerB. Before realising the fault is now just seeing ServerB, I added WINS Server to ServerA. Once this is resolved I want to get rid of that. ServerA, B: Windows Firewall on. No other firewall. NOD32 antivirus. Thanks

This tool may be of assistance. Description of NetBIOS Browsing Console (Browcon.exe) http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818092 Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional -Microsoft MVP [Windows]

That tool is listed for server 2000, 2003. Fails install on 2008R2 cos it requires .NET v1. .NET 3.5.1 is installed. Support docs are for NT4 and 2000. eg http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc767893.aspx#XSLTsection126121120120 XP not seeing a 2008R2 server on a 2008R2 Domain. Installing WINS seemed like a backward step. Is there another approach I can take or - I'm open to persuasion - is getting NetBIOS Browsing Console to work really my best option? Thanks -Chris

Yes, I'd run it on one of the XP boxes. If you're wanting to browse through Network Neighborhood then Computer Browser and NetBIOS is your only option. Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional -Microsoft MVP [Windows]

Dave, thanks. OK. Im getting it going. And we dont need WINS?

Shouldn't need WINS unless you're spanning multiple subnets. Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional -Microsoft MVP [Windows]

NetBIOS Browsing Console showed 2x Master Browsers (1x PDC ServerA, 1xVista) & 3x Backup Master Browsers (ServerB, the 2003R2, 1x XP). So we turned off Computer Browser service on the Vista/XP. Now shows 2x Master Browsers (as before: the same Vista still shows), & 2x Backup Master Browsers (ServerB & the 2003R2). And NetBIOS Browsing Console test result: "Server B was found in the browse list." > ServerB is now visible on the LAN, to all the XPs Ive tried. < time will tell if it stays visible. Restart the troubleshooting: Now shows 1x Master Browsers (the PDC ServerA), & 2x Backup Master Browsers (ServerB & the 2003R2). And ServerB is found again. Dont know what to make of all this. Should there be a workstation that acts as a Master Browser? Should there be a workstation as a Backup Master Browser? If not, is turning off Computer Browser service sufficient? Or should registry entry be done: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters REG_SZ IsDomainMaster True or False Progress. Thanks.

Can I get rid of WINS now?

You probably don't need WINS server. Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional -Microsoft MVP [Windows]

Here's some info on browser elections. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc959896.aspx http://www.petri.co.il/whats_the_microsoft_computer_browser_service.htm Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional -Microsoft MVP [Windows]

Dave, thanks so much. ServerB has disappeared again from XP browse lists. NetBIOS Browsing Console now flags up an error: Our PDC & Master Browser ServerA does not have ServerB in its browse list (even though it did earlier). Full text of error and suggestions is below, my comments are in CAPS, but I think, no real issues here? What to do? NetBIOS Browsing Console System Missing from its Local Subnet Master Browser's List Diagnosis: The subnet master browser on the missing system's subnet does not have the missing system in its browse list. Because of this, the missing system may also be missing from all other browse lists. This problem must be addressed before testing for other possible issues. NOTE: if the missing system was taken offline or hidden intentionally, it could take thirty minutes before this gets propagated across the network. Until then, the system may be missing in some master browser lists but not in others. Possible Causes: 1. Run the command "net config server" (without quotes) at the command prompt on the missing system. Is the "Server hidden" setting set to "Yes"? If so, this is why the system is missing in the browse list. To unhide the computer from the browser list, type "net config server /hidden:no" (without the quotation marks) at the command prompt on the missing system, and then press ENTER. NO. NOT HIDDEN. 2. If the missing system is a Windows NT 4.0 system, check the length of the server comment. When the server comment is greater than 48 characters, the server name may disappear from the browsing list. The server comment may be displayed by typing the following command at an MS-DOS command prompt: "net config server" (without the quotation marks). The server comment may be set by typing the following command at an MS-DOS command prompt: "net config server /srvcomment:"text"" (without the quotation marks) NOTE: This command does not allow you to specify a srvcomment greater than 48 characters. Nevertheless, the problem may exist if the srvcomment size is greater than 48 characters when it set directly in the registry (HKLM\System\CCS\Service\LanmanServer\Parameters). N/A - THERE IS NO SERVER COMMENT 3. The missing system's host announcement frame was not received by the subnet master browser. Reboot the missing system so that it will announce itself on the subnet again. NOT FEASIBLE ONGOING, ITS A SERVER. A REBOOT DID CLEAR ISSUE, FOR SOME HOURS ONLY. 4. The subnet master browser may be multihomed. i.e. a system with more than one network interface including RAS/RRAS servers. Multihomed systems should not be allowed to hold a master browser role. Disable the Computer Browser Service on all multihomed systems. In this condition these systems will still be able to browse, but will not participate in browsing elections. ITS NOT. DISABLED BROWSER SERVICE ON THE 2003R2 SERVER, WHICH IS NOT A DC ETC, BUT DOES HAVE 2 IP ADDRESSES FOR ITS ONE NIC. 5. There may be contention between systems on the subnet as to which system is the subnet's master browser. Look for evidence of this problem in the System event log on systems located on the missing client's subnet. Do you see Browser events with the ID 8003? NONE ON SERVERB. NONE NOW ON SERVERA. LOTS EARLIER IN DAY, THEY STOPPED WHEN WE TURNED OFF BROWSER SERVICE ON THE VISTA AND XP BOXES THAT WANTED TO BE MASTER BROWSER. NONE FOR 3 DAYS ON SERVER 2003R2. There are many possible reasons for these events: * Routers on the network are configured to forward UDP broadcasts. * IP subnet masks are not consistently set on all the systems on the subnet/network i.e. there is more than one logical IP subnet sharing one physical subnet. This is common on networks that use DHCP superscopes. * Incorrect static WINS entries. Ensure the entries for the 1B domain name, the PDC's NetBIOS name, and the subnet master browser's NetBIOS name are correct and consistent on all WINS servers on the network. * Switch configuration issues. i.e. switches should be consistently set to full-duplex or half duplex, but not mixed. Summary: The missing system is not in its subnet master browser's list. Try to solve this problem with the suggestions outlined above.

(Edit didnt work). ServerB is multihomed! Recently it gained a second NIC, for NTOP. Disabled both that NIC, and the Computer Browser service. Wait for Browse lists to update. Will report back..

ServerB: left Computer Browser service off. Re-enabled second NIC (planned for NTOP). Actually, that NIC isnt online yet (no cable) while we get NTOP figured out. NetBIOS Browsing Console tests good. XP boxes can browse to ServerB. ServerB can browse apparently all network PCs. Put second NIC online. All still good. See how it goes. Will update Thanks!

Multi-homing causes all kinds of problems such as this one. Better solution is to get a hardware router. At least unbind all but Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) from the second adapter. Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional -Microsoft MVP [Windows]

OK, now unbound. > Dave - Help much appreciated > Things still good.