** Working Offline ** Error

[canada]

We have a Windows domain with SBS 2003 server and XP/Vista clients. One of our XP PC's is producing a message in the system tray saying that the PC is no longer connected to (server name) and you are now working Offline. All the mapped network drives appear empty and the user can't access any resources on the server. This is not good.

Here's what I've tried in the last 48 hours:

- Removed PC from the domain, renamed it, and added it to a workgroup. Then I added it to the domain again with the new name

- I configured TCP/IP with the server's IP address as the primary DNS server

- From a command prompt I did the ipconfig /flushdns command

- I releasesd and renewed the IP address, and it connected to the server for about five seconds and then it gave me the "Working Offline" message again

[waynehoskins]

Obvious things to try (that you probably have already) :
- kick it
- gravitational reset

Beyond that, I don't know. I'm a UNIX guy.

[blonborg]

Since you're using the SBS version, do you have enough licenses for the workstations? Perhaps you've exceeded your license count.

[rkresge]

Have you examined the system logs by way of the Event Viewer? Odds are you will find something of interest there. Right now you don't know anything about the actual cause of the problem, you're just guessing.

Seriously, take a long look. It won't surprise me at all if you find error messages that will point you at the exact cause of the problem.

Roger

[canada]

Originally Posted by blonborg

Since you're using the SBS version, do you have enough licenses for the workstations? Perhaps you've exceeded your license count.

I don't think I've exceeded my license count ...but how do I check?

[canada]

I looked at the Event Viewer, and under DNS Server I found the following Error:
"The DNS server has encountered a critical error from the Active Directory. Check that the Active Directory is functioning properly. The extended error debug information (which may be empty) is "". The event data contains the error."

Could this be a clue to the problem?

[JesusisGod]

Check out the time on the computer and the time on the server. You can lookup the nettime command how to query and setup the time. you can also add net time /set /y to your login script to keep this from happening.

[bggowing]

First thing. Can you ping the suspect computer from the server? Can you ping the server from the suspect computer? If the answer is no to either question then can you ping another computer from the server? If yes, it's not a server side issue. If no, then it's a server side issue and probably a reboot of the server will fix it. Can the suspect computer ping other computers? If no then it's possibly a problem with the network card or network settings on that computer. What's changed recently on that computer?