Topic: Nslookup on internal resolves with old machne

[Lowell Fuher]

Rebuilt a windows file server on my network some months ago - used same name - went from static to DHCP via SME 8.0 for ip address.  The old static ip address is still lodged in the resolve files.  I haven't been able to find where to clear that IP address.  Pulled a list of my current leases and its not listed (obviously).

I'm no longer one to just start banging around to clear a challange such as this, learned the hard way.  Help is appreciated.

[idp_qbn]

There may be an old 'hosts' file on the Windows server causing your problem.

Have a look in %systemroot%\system32\drivers\etc\ on your Windows server. Open the "hosts" file in an editor. Check to see if the old IP address is listed.
In the Windows world, I think each machine tries the "hosts" file first at startup and then, failing to get an IP there, it seeks an address from a DHCP server.

You could also check the 'lmhosts' file for an entry as well.
The files are relics of Microsoft's small-network beginnings back in Windows 3.11 and Windows NT days.

They are handy for putting entries for any sites you want to block and there are several sites on the Internet that offer (large) replacement hosts files with entries like

   192.168.1.1  localhost
   192.168.1.1  www.badsite.com

see more info here http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

Not sure this is your problem but something similar was happening on a system I was supporting some years ago.

Cheers
Ian

[Lowell Fuher]

Nothing remained of the pervious OS on the file server. The files had been on other drives, and were backed up entirely just before the server failed.  Recovery of the data files was 100%, and the previous OS was totally scrapped and reloaded with a newer version.  The host and or lmhosts files were never reused.

Thanks,  but I still feel this is something in the DNS lookup in my SME server - I just am not sure where to look.
I have had this challange on Windows networks and know where in the DC to go fix it.  - just need a little guidance here.

[idp_qbn]

Perhaps one of the other windows PCs is acting as a Master Browser (another exciting Microsoft way of handling small-office networking) and hanging on to the old credentials for the server - using the same machine name when you rebuilt the server name may have confused things. Notice I am concentrating on WINDOWS as a suspect, not LINUX.

By the way, if you newly rebuilt server is truly a server, it should have a fixed (static) IP. Makes for a much more stable network when many PCs have to find the server - they know where it lives and don't have to ask. The Bold/Italic/Underlined is to emphasise that static IP would be a better way to go.

This removes your problem, but does not solve why the old address was being re-established. There may truly be a DNS/DHCP problem, but it does not happen with any other PCs, does it?

We have now reached the limits of my knowledge....puddled i.e. broad but very shallow.
Good luck with you network.
Ian

[janet]

moe

By the way, if you newly rebuilt server is truly a server, it should have a fixed (static) IP. Makes for a much more stable network when many PCs have to find the server - they know where it lives and don't have to ask. The Bold/Italic/Underlined is to emphasise that static IP would be a better way to go.

The way to achieve this using DHCP, is to setup a Hostname entry in server manager Hostname & addresses panel, & specify the mac address of the Windows server NIC, & also specify the required fixed IP to be allocated to the Windows server.
The SME DHCP server will always then allocate the same (specified) IP to the Windows server, so oteh end result is a"fixed" IP.
Make sure the IP you specify is outside the automatically allocated DHCP IP range, also see another server manager panel where you can review this range. That range can be set in the Console under the "Configure this server" option menu.

There is also a setting change you can make for the MasterBrowser issue, so that the SME server has a higher value & will always be the MasterBrowser server on the network, search the Forums, & if you cannot find this ask here again & I will look up my notes. Google also should find plenty of info.

[Lowell Fuher]

Janet, I couldn't find that setting.

[janet]

moe

Search on BrowseMaster, there are many results in these forums that are pertinent.

One tells you how to change this in Windows, here is an old example
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php/topic,26199.0.html

another will tell you how to change it in SME server
eg
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php/topic,35724.msg157146.html#msg157146
config setprop smb OsLevel xxx
signal-event workgroup-update


The applicable template is
/etc/e-mith/templates/etc/smb.conf/11osLevel
but the command above will do what you want, so no need to use custom templates

Google for more info on browsing and elections
There used to be docs in /usr/share/docs/..... so check there also