I've been trying to add a new Win7 workstation to a Win2k domain for the last 3 days. I cannot add it and keep getting the same error: The following error occured attempting to join the domain "(domainname)"; "An attempt to resolve the DNS name of a domain controller in the domain being joined has failed. Please verify this client is configured to reach a DNS server that can resolve DNS names in the target domain. For information about network troubleshooting, see Window Help." However, I can ping the server and even use remote desktop on it. I can access the shares folder on the server, as well. I've changed the NTLM Authentication Level and disabled Windows firewall on the Win7 machine. Turned on file and printer sharing. I've tried everything I've seen on other posts and no luck. I've set the DNS on the Win7 machine to the IP of the DC/Win2k server. etc, etc. I been looking at other forums and people seem to get mixed results. Any help would be appreciated.

From experience I can tell you that Windows 7 does not play well with the Windows 2000 AD structure. Although you can get it to join the domain, you'll have issues with login scripts and group policies (especially anything that has to do with Group membership). Your problem, however, has to do with DNS. I'm going to make the assumption that you aren't hosting your own internal DNS server(s), but are relying on your ISP or router for DNS. This wasn't an issue with XP or earlier which could use NetBIOS to resolve names, but Vista and Windows 7 rely more heavily on DNS. The problem here is that Windows 7 can't find a Host (A) record for your Domain Controllers on the defined DNS servers. The ideal solution is to set up one of your DCs as a DHCP and DNS server for internal use and use a forwarder for external. But if you've only got one or two Windows 7 machines it might be easier to just enter the names and addresses of your DCs into the HOSTS file on the the Windows 7 box.

What are the addresses of the DC and the DNS server? Do you connect to the domain with router or switch? Please let us know the result of ipconfig/all. Meantime, please temporary disable the antivirus since it may block the Net Logon service from accessing network.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

I'm at my witts end and this is the closest I've gotten to an answer. Here is the situation... 1) The system was set up MANY years ago on a pear to pear network. We have a combination of computers running windows xp, windows vista home, windows 7 professional, and server 2k with a recent addition of 2008 server.... I can get most of the computers to see the 2008 server. However, I cannot transfer any data from the 2k server to 2008 server (aside from being able to back up to it) I cannot get the Windows 7 pro computer to logon to the 2k because it wants a computer name which it thus establishes as its "domain" name (grrrrrrr) and the windows vista can see the 2k and connect to the 2008 (via network mapping) when you pull it up on the network. My degree in Network admin is way old (2004 & never got to use it in rl), but I'm what's available (I'm family)... I'm not complaining, just I really shouldn't have to spend so much time trying to resolve the issues and I haven't been able to find a solid solution to the situation. I can be e-mailed direct at justfrgvin@aol.com