You receive an error message after you add a Samba Linux server to a Windows Server 2003 domain or to a Windows 2000 domain

You have a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 domain or a Microsoft Windows 2000 domain that contains several domain controllers. One domain controller performs the primary domain controller (PDC) emulator role.

After you add a Samba Linux server to the domain, you experience the following symptoms:

• When you use the Distributed File System snap-in (Dfsgui.msc) to manage existing domain-based roots in a Windows Server 2003 domain, you receive the following error message:
  1355 "The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted"
  This error message also occurs when you use the Distributed File System Management snap-in (Dfsmgmt.msc) to manage domain-based roots in a Windows Server 2003 R2 domain.
• When you open the Group Policy snap-in (Gpedit.msc), you receive the following error message:
  The specified domain controller could not be contacted. This affects the following domain in the console.
  Domain: DomainName
  
  The error was:
  The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted.
• When you open the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in (Dsa.msc) and then access the Group Policy tab in the Property dialog box of a domain container, you receive the following error message:
  The domain controller for Group Policy operations is not available. You may cancel this operation for this session or retry using one of the following domain controller choices
• When you run the Domain Controller Diagnostic Tool (Dcdiag.exe), you receive output that resembles the following:
  Starting test: FsmoCheck

  
  GC Name: <\\DC01.ServerName .com>
  Locator Flags: 0xe00003fc
  Warning: DcGetDcName(PDC_REQUIRED) call failed, error 1355
  A Primary Domain Controller could not be located.
  The server holding the PDC role is down.

  
  Time Server Name: <\\DC01.ServerName .com>

  
  Locator Flags: 0xe00003fc
  Preferred Time Server Name: <\\DC01.ServerName.com>
  Locator Flags: 0xe00003fc
  KDC Name: <\\DC01.ServerName.com>
  Locator Flags: 0xe00003fc
  ......................... ServerName.local failed test FsmoCheck
• The following event is logged in the System log on the PDC emulator:

  
  Event Type: Error
  Event Source: NetBT
  Event Category: None
  Event ID: 4321
  Description:
  The name "NetBIOSName :1b" could not be registered on the Interface with IP address IPAddress1. The machine with the IP address IPAddress2 did not allow the name to be claimed by this machine.

This problem occurs because the Samba Linux server acts as the PDC emulator and as the domain master browser in the Windows Server 2003 domain. Additionally, the Samba Linux server registers the 1B record in the WINS snap-in.

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

1. Locate the real PDC Emulator in the domain.
   
   Note All the steps in this procedure are performed on this PDC emulator.
2. Open the WINS snap-in, and then remove the 1B record that is registered by the Samba Linux server.
3. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
4. Locate and then double-click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters
5. Set the value of the IsDomainMaster registry entry to TRUE.
6. Restart the Computer Browser service.
7. At a command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   nbtstat -RR & nbtstat -R
   Note If you use a client computer to manage the Distributed File System (DFS) or the Group Policy objects (GPO) in a domain, you should also perform step 7 on the client computer. However, you must perform steps 1 through 5 on the PDC emulator.

To resolve this problem, disable the domain controller functionality on the Samba Linux server. To disable the domain controller functionality on the Samba Linux server, follow these steps:

1. Open the Samba configuration file (Smb.conf) on the Samba Linux server.
2. Change the value of the following items to NO:
   • Domain master
   • Preferred master
   • Domain logons

For more information, see the Samba Linux product documentation, or visit the following Samba Web site: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

Samba is a third-party implementation of the Server Message Block (SMB) network protocol that is used by Windows Server 2003.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.