Vista - Active Directory Domain Services Is Currently Not Available?

I have tried just about everything to resolve this. Running Windows Vista
Ultimate 64 bit and this occurs anytime I try to browse for computers or
printers.

Network is set to "Private"
Network discovery "On"
File Sharing "On"
Firewall "Disabled"
LLTD "Installed"


I have read that I need to setup a DNS server, however, I never did this in
XP and never had a problem browsing for computers/hardware. What am I
missing? What services are necessary for AD?

hi momentarylapseofreason,

you wont be able to browse computers if your DNS Settings are not given to the Domains DNS server. the reson for this if there is no DNS server spcified the Vista computer doesnt know where to check for other computer names that it does not recognize. For example if you want to access a computer called DEN-DC1.contoso.msft. first your vista computer will try to find in its own resolver cache to see if there are any dns records for DEN-DC1.contoso.msft if it cannot it will try your dns server. For this u need to spcifiy a DNS Server. Also on your vista computer make sure Netbios is enabled.

Do the following

Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on Windows Vista
Summary
This article explains how to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP.

More Information
To enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on Windows Vista:

Click Start, and then click Network. (Or you can click Start, type ncpa.cpl into the search box, and press ENTER).
Click on the Network and Sharing Center, and then click Manage Network Connections.
Right click on the Local Area Connection or the connection you are using.
Select the Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
Click the Advanced button under the General tab.
Click the WINS tab.


Click the Enable NetBIOS Over TCP/IP button.
Click Ok.

Hope this helps

Cheers !!

Thank you John. Enabling NetBios might have been part of the problem,
however I do not know how to "give" my DNS settings to the domain's DNS
server.

I am merely running a home network. I have several computers on this
network but no central server. Only a router.

How would one go about using AD without setting up a physical server? I
miss having the ability to use shutdown among other commands that I used to
use when I was running all XP boxes.

hi momentarylapseofreason,

If your not running a Domain that means all of your computers connect to a router is it. Are you getting a IP address from the Router. (DHCP) can you access the internet. If your getting a IP addres from the router. then you would be getting the dns settings as well. the problem is with your netbios make sure its turend on.

Hope this Helps
Cheers !

No luck John. I have NetBios setup like you said. Could it possibly be a
service I shutdown? Here is a list of services I have disabled.

OK... so I guess MS has codes disabled on the board... A list of what is
disabled in Services.msc. Could one of these be the problem?

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...m/disabled.jpg

hi momentarylapseofreason,
no its not a problem with your services, can you post back the Error you are getting when you try to access the network. also can you post the Ipconfig /all of your xp computer & vista computer

Hope this helps
Cheers !!!

Figure you might want this as well...

NetBIOS Local Name Table



Name Type Status

---------------------------------------------

R*******N <00> UNIQUE Registered

WORKGROUP <00> GROUP Registered

WORKGROUP <1E> GROUP Registered

R*******N <20> UNIQUE Registered

WORKGROUP <1D> UNIQUE Registered

..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered

Router Status:
Domain Name: hsd1.il.comcast.net.

LAN MAC: 00:E0:B8:6B:F7:3C
IP Address: 192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
DHCP server: Enable

Wireless MAC: 00:E0:B8:6B:F7:3B
Mode: Mixed
Channel: 11
SSID: Gateway
Encryption Function: Enable-TKIP

WAN MAC: 00:E0:B8:6B:F7:3D
Configuration Type: Automatic Configuration - DHCP

IP Address: 24.**.***.58
Subnet Mask: 255.255.248.0
Default Gateway: 24.**.**.1
DNS: 68.87.72.130
68.87.77.130

(cricket chirps).....



Anyone?

One more bump for good luck?