DNS intermittently stops resolving some host names

A Domain Name System (DNS) server that is running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 may intermittently stop responding to client requests for certain host names. However, the server responds correctly to client requests for all other host names.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

To work around this problem, clear the DNS cache. To do this, use one of the following methods.

Using a command prompt

Use the Dnscmd.exe command-line tool to clear the DNS cache. To do this, follow these steps.

Note Dnscmd.exe is included in Windows Server 2003 Support Tools. To install Windows Server 2003 Support Tools, right-click Suptools.msi in the Support\Tools folder on the Windows Server 2003 CD, and then click Install.

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   dnscmd /clearcache
   
   
   You receive the following message:
   . completed successfully
   Command completed successfully.

Using the DNS tool

Use the DNS tool to clear the cache. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start the DNS tool. To do this, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click DNS.
2. Under DNS, right-click the server where you want to clear the cache, and then click Clear Cache.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.

For more information about the terminology that is used to describe Microsoft product updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: