Specified server cannot perform requested operation - joining domain

I'm trying to simply join an XP computer to a domain.. and I get the error
message: "The specified server cannot perform the requested operation.". The
result other than this message is the computer account is created, but
disabled.. If I reset the account, I get the same result.
This is a 2003 domain controller/server running SP2. In the past I have
successfully added another machine to the domain...
Thinking it might be related, I installed Windows XP Hotfix KB896427. No
Luck..

Anybody have any idea what's going on?

check FSMO roles are ok from the DC: netdom query fsmo

On the workstation, check that:
-Date & Time are the same as the domain (closer than 5 mn)
-It has the DC as primary dns server
-you try to join the domain with the FQDN name (mydomain.com)

Is the problem since you applied the Service pack 2?
You can apply this hotfic:

You may experience network-related problems after you install Windows Server
2003 SP2 or the Scalable Networking Pack
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936594

What type of errors are there in the event logs on both the dc and the
workstation?

Post the ipconfig /all from your client and your dns server.

I'm going to have to bail on this issue.. today was day one of an Exchange
2007 class and I need to focus on that for the moment

[Photomanliny]

Having the same problem but ONLY with my XP x64 box. XP x86 boxes log in just fine.

I read this thread and tried everything. The DC names are correct; All possible updates are installed and tried. I tried different nwtwork cards (desperate).

The x64 box gets to the username/password dialog and then pauses about 1 minute after entry. The I either get the same message as above or an access denied message.

Oddly, ONE time when I changed computer names on the XP x84 client, did NOT reboot and attempted a domain login. I got a "Welcome to the domain message" followed by a message which told me that the name has reverted to the old name of the computer (or something like that).

What accompanies this error is the server disabling the computer account after this error occurs.

I have tried changing client names, different boxes, different NICs, and am considering a small hammer if I can't get this to work. HELP please!

Thanks in advance.

[Petrus4]

I fixed this, here's how:

1. Delete Comp. Acct. in AD User's & Computers on controller.
2. Wait 5 minutes.
3. manually set DNS to AD server on workstation.
4. Renamed local Administrator to Administrator
5. Re-added, using my domain ID (as domain admin)

not sure which one was the key step, but that's all of them.

I am having the same issues with joining winXP clients to 2008 server after having been on a 2000 domain. Did you figure out what the problem was?

I had the same problem when I tried adding one of my server 2k3 servers' (terminal services role, and IIS6) and a virtual machine to my domain. I fixed it by going into ISA 2006 management console and adding the RDP port into the firwall allow area. But for users without ISA, I would think that it would be possible to to use just the regular Windows Firewall.

Then, I put the IP address of my domain controller into the preferred DNS area of the IP settings in my network connections.

I didn't go back to see the whole thread, since all we see in the Microsoft
Newsgroups (where Techarena posts and pulls posts from), is just this post
and Petrus4's post, but what I can say, if your machines, that is all
machines (DCs, member servers, TS, client machines, etc) have any other DNS
address in their IP properties other than the internal DNS that hosts the AD
zone, then I can understand why you are having problems.

ISA complicates things as well.

Other scenarios that will cause this issue:

Multihomed DCs (more than one NIC and/or IP address) as well as RRAS
installed on any of the DCs.
AD DNS Single Label Name domain name ("domain" vs the minimal requirement of
"domain.something").
Third party firewalls installed on the DCs or clients.
Third party security and/or AV software that is misconfigured and blocking
necessary ports or apps.
Improper routing (whether within the infrastructure, VLANs misconfigured, or
using VM).

I have a windows server 2003 and Vista 32bit problem.
The Vista machine won't join the domain with the same error message...

I tried turning off the firewall on the Vista machine.
Adding only the DC IP address for the Vista DNS.
I flushed DNS and registered.
I activated the Administrator account and tried joining the domain.
I also tried to join using different domain admin accounts.
The weird thing is that I can join the domain just fine with an XP PC (in fact it was an XP install on a Mac!).

I get the same account creation and disable when I join using the Vista machine.
The time on both are the same (as well as the date!).
They are both on the same LAN (so no routing/VLAN issues).

Now I think I have covered all the possible suggestions so if anyone has any other ideas please let me know.

BTW I searched the event logs of the Vista machine AND the server and NOTHING is logged that has any relevance to this error. Another annoyance....

The big question is how you are attempting to join it to the domain? Are you
using the NetBIOS name ("domain")? Or are you using the FQDN (domain.net,
domain.local, etc)? Vista does things a little differently when it comes to
the DNS client-resolution process.

Is the DC multihomed, or does it have RRAS installed on it? If so, when the
client queries DNS for a DC in the domain, it may be getting the outside IP
or one of the RRAS IPs, which the client machine cannot connect to.

You stated you added only the DC as DNS. Was it configured differently prior
to that, such as using an ISP, the router or some other exernal DNS?

Is the DC only using itself as DNS (if one DC), or itself, then a partner DC
as the second entry (recommended)?

Is there a question in this or are you just posting for others in the event
they have a similar issue?

[kenmay]

I have two networks, one home, the other office, linked up by a vpn tunnel.
I was trying to get a box on the home network running xp pro to join the office domain and having no luck, until I did the following:
I changed the TCP/IP properties on the local box to "hard wire" the ip address of the box on the local network (just set it at whatever ip was assigned automatically), and specify also the DNS servers (use the remote DC as the primary and the local router if that is your DHCP server on the local network as the Alternate).
After doing the foregoing I ceased to get the dreaded "Specified server cannot perform requested operation" error message and immediately got a welcome to the remote domain.

just posting for others in the event they have a similar issue

[scubied]

Hi There

If the Client cannot Join the domain but can ping the server ok, this either that the name already exist within DC/AD or....Windows Firewall/other firewall is blocking it!
So....
delete computer from DC/AD restart both client and server (so server has a chance to realise it is no longer there, then disable firewalls on BOTH CLIENT AND SERVER.
And finally join the domain!

If this does not work, reinstall client and delegate it with a new PC Name.

[Bigpa]

FYI I found this to be that someone else had set a 'Connection specific DNS suffix' when they had setup the DHCP server.

I *think* this is set under 'DNS domain name' server option, but in my case I only sussed it out after dropping the entire DHCP scope and recreating without the dodgy test domain in it.

If you lose that setting, then try and re-add to the domain it will work. I suppose it's the client machine saying 'Eh ? You can't add me to that domain, my domain is xyz.com'