Windows 7: Win 7 Pro can't join SBS Server 2003 domain

My client has a small domain with SBS server 2003. The server connects to a router which connects to the DSL modem. On the router, dhcp is disabled. The server is a dns server and dhcp is running. All of the client PC's are windows XP and were able to join the domain with no issues. One of the client PC's had to be replaced. The replacement came with windows 7 pro x64 installed.
From the windows 7 PC I can see the other PC's on the network, can see the server, can access the shares on the server, and remote into the server. I can also ping the dns server. There are 2 ways to join the domain. The first one used a wizard on the windows 7 PC. When I go thru the wizard it tells me that there is no account on the domain controller for the PC. If I do it manually it tells me the dns couldn't find the controller. The dns server is the domain controller. I have also tried using a static IP like the XP machines have and got the same problems. I have also created the computer account on the server manually
The server has sp2 installed. I have looked on the net and found some different solutions like making changed to the local security policy but none of those have worked. I am stumped. Anybody know of a solution?

Welcome to Seven Forums,

Please see attached file and make sure that in Computer Name/Domain Changes, then click on More...that you have the correct domain name under 'Primary DNS suffix of this computer' - for example company.local.

Try setting it up to Static IP again and verify that from the Windows 7 LAN setting the DNS is pointing to the Server's DNS which is a Private IP and not an external IP then change it back to DHCP. Try manually connecting to your domain again.

An update will be nice.

I tried going to a static ip and then back to the dhcp. I manually put in the ip address of the dns server which is the sbs 2003 server. The dns suffix is there. I still can't join the domain. When using the network id button and using the wizard it tells me there is no computer account in the domain for this computer. When using the Change button and doing it manually it tells me that the dns can't find the domain controller. Really frustrated to the point that I was going to try installing XP on this machine but it kept hanging and I don't think it is compatible with this hardware anyway.

is NETbios over tcp/ip enabled?

Yes it is enabled

This should allow to join from the Windows 7 PC. Disabling the 128 bit encryption is usually required.

Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Local Security Policy

Local Policies - Security Options



Network security: LAN Manager authentication level
0 Send LM & NTLM responses

Minimum session security for NTLM SSP
Disable Require 128-bit encryption

Here are all the different levels of NTLM security.
0) Send LM & NTLM responses
1) Send LM & NTLM - use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated
2) Send NTLM response only
3) Send NTLMv2 response only
4) Send NTLMv2 response only. Refuse LM
5) Send NTLMv2 response only. Refuse LM & NTLM




I also heard that using the same DNS as the server may help.

In addition....make sure that you have properly configured the DNS forwarders from your Server's DNS Manager.
Configure a DNS Server to Use Forwarders

Also, from my previous post, I didn't get an answer:
Please give us another update.

The 128 encryption is disabled. The checked the dhcp console on the server and it is giving the pc an ip address and I can ping the server from the pc. I am stumped at this point. I also noticed there is another thread with a similar issue.

Lots of people with issues here, I'm not sure what the problem is but the adjustments I posted have helped many to fix this problem. The link below talks about the problem with a few other possible solutions.

[Solved] Windows 7 and Samba Issue - windows-7

Thanks for the link. I will look thru that thread.