Windows Server 2003 DNS problems - mike's web log/comments

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July 19, 2005 | Windows Server 2003 DNS problems | 1015 hit(s)

I've been getting reports from some people that when they try to see anything on my site, they're getting an error in IE "The page cannot be displayed" with the fine print "Cannot find server or DNS error."

I am somewhat at a loss as to how to debug this, because I have never experienced the problem myself. Here are some notes about what I've seen and tried.

Some people can see the site (like, me and people who I know who visit the site often). Other people cannot see it ever.
Last week sometime I installed SP1 on Windows Server 2003, which is hosting the blog you're reading. Hmmm.
Seeing as how this might have been a DNS thing, I had people try accessing the site using the raw IP address. That worked for one person but not for another person. How weird is that?
I disabled the Windows Server 2003 firewall. No change.
One thought I've had is that people can get to the site if they visited it before the SP1 upgrade. Could that be? Is there something persisted somewhere (like, in their browser) that's allowing them access?
One site suggested using the Windows "repair" command on the server's network connection. Tried that, no change.
GRC.com's ShieldsUp probe can apparently see the server ok.

Some things I guess I could try:

Have non-successful people try just pinging the server to see if it's connectivity or the Web server.
Uninstall SP1. I'd rather not do that, of course.

What else? Any ideas?

Todd Derscheid 20 Jul 05 - 8:52 AM

Mike,

The Microsoft Server 2003 Service Pack 1 page says:

"There are two issues with Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 which may affect server-to-server communication for TCP/IP and/or RPC traffic across firewall or VPN products in rare and specific network configurations. This can affect domain replication and other connectivity. When you deploy SP1 it is always a recommended practice to monitor domain controller replication to ensure that your Domain Controllers are not affected. For specific details including hotfix availability, please read knowledge base article 899148 and knowledge base article 898060. "

Looked like one's a registry tweak, and the other's a hotfix.

Let us know how it turns out...

Broschat 23 Jul 05 - 9:14 AM

I think I'll look into Todd's reference. Here's a situation we encountered at work.

My location hosts an Internet Web site for both our own organization and for one other. No one at my location nor anywhere else in the world has ever had any trouble seeing both Web sites. Except for a few offices at a military installation a hundred miles or so away. They can't see the other Web site at all, but have no trouble seeing our HQ Web site. Both are on the same server, both use the same root structure. This remote site has a VPN connection with us (HQ).

A fix was found a month or so ago, where the proxy packet size was reduced below the default size. That has worked, but no one can explain why it's necessary.