Unable to Join a Domain

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I have a client that I am replacing nine XP Professional computers with nine Windows 8.1 Professional computers. Each new one will be setup identical to the old one it is replacing (e.g. users, programs, machine name, IP, DNS, etc.) This first one gives me an error when I try to change from a workgroup to a domain. I tried just the “Change” button and the “Network ID” button. The first gives the error message “An Active Directory Domain Controller (AD DC) for domain “eyecare” could not be contacted.” while the second says it cannot find the computer (or could be user – I am writing this from memory of what I did and the error messages.)

If everything on the new computer is identical to the old computer, then why am I having trouble with this computer joining the domain? There are map drives to the server that are working and the server can be pinged OK.

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Did you remove the old computer from the domain before attempting to join the new identically named computer? If not you will need to delete the computer in AD.
If you ping “eyecare” or the FQDN do you get a valid response? If your new computer has obtained an IP address from the domain DHCP server it should find the domain DNS and therefore be able to ping the domain by name.

cheers, Paul

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Paul,
Are you saying that I cannot have the XP machine turned off while setting up the Windows 8.1 machine? If this is the case, then I would have to give the Windows 8.1 a different name temporarily and then change the Windows 8.1 computer name to what I want it to be when I have physically removed the XP machine?

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Did you remove the old computer from the domain before attempting to join the new identically named computer? If not you will need to delete the computer in AD.
If you ping “eyecare” or the FQDN do you get a valid response? If your new computer has obtained an IP address from the domain DHCP server it should find the domain DNS and therefore be able to ping the domain by name.

cheers, Paul

There may be lots of computers which are still listed in Active Directory, but which have long since been retired. Now would be a good time to scan through the list in Active Directory to delete not only the nine computers in question, but also any others that you know shouldn’t be there.

Computers still listed which are other than the nine in question probably won’t cause any issues, but it’s just good housekeeping to keep an accurate listing in Active Directory.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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In addition to what Paul says, remember that you need to be on Ethernet, not on a wireless connection to join the domain.

Just a guess here, but many windows 8 (.1) Pro machines are likely to be laptops or tablets and could be trying to connect over wfi.

Win8(.1) Pro does connect just the same as Win 7, Vista and XP etc. I joined a Win 8.1 Surface Pro2 just a week or two ago to our domain. We use an USB to Ethernet adapter to make sure they have a wired connection first then join.

Please keep us updated – I’m interested to find out what your solution might be.

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All are desktops with hardwired network connections. Thanks for the info. I will keep it in mind if I should setup any laptops in the future.

In addition to what Paul says, remember that you need to be on Ethernet, not on a wireless connection to join the domain.

Just a guess here, but many windows 8 (.1) Pro machines are likely to be laptops or tablets and could be trying to connect over wfi.

Win8(.1) Pro does connect just the same as Win 7, Vista and XP etc. I joined a Win 8.1 Surface Pro2 just a week or two ago to our domain. We use an USB to Ethernet adapter to make sure they have a wired connection first then join.

Please keep us updated – I’m interested to find out what your solution might be.

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I got this to work. I had the Preferred DNS for the workstation network adapter set to the router and the Alternate DNS set to the server. Once I reversed these, it connected without any problems.

Thanks for everyone’s suggestions.

In addition to what Paul says, remember that you need to be on Ethernet, not on a wireless connection to join the domain.

Just a guess here, but many windows 8 (.1) Pro machines are likely to be laptops or tablets and could be trying to connect over wfi.

Win8(.1) Pro does connect just the same as Win 7, Vista and XP etc. I joined a Win 8.1 Surface Pro2 just a week or two ago to our domain. We use an USB to Ethernet adapter to make sure they have a wired connection first then join.

Please keep us updated – I’m interested to find out what your solution might be.

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Definitely get rid of potential duplicated computer accounts in AD, otherwise it will get very confused.

Another thought: make sure you are using the FQDN. For example test.local rather than test.

Good luck!

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cheers, Paul

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I’m not sure if this will work but it did for me. I have been trying all day to join a new Windows 8.1 machine to the domain with no success even with the assistance of our main IT dept. We checked the DNS, pinged and checked every ip on the machine with no luck and finally decided it must be a faulty network card, so I rang the manufacturer who sent some updated drivers, but still it wouldn’t connect to the domain. The message was similar to the one you have above. – solution for us anyway – usually we just put the name of the domain in and not the full domain address, so this was it I just put in the full domain address instead of the domain name and it just connected. We have never come across this before and it has never been an issue with Windows 8 joining the domain but this is the first one we have joined as Windows 8.1.
Like I say it may not work for you it could have just been a fluke but maybe worth a try if you don’t usually put the full domain address in give it a go.

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