Win2003 DC limits function of local apps.

i am running QuickBooks and a Tech Dispatching Application on ONE Win2003 server. because i needed better security and accounting on this server, i made it a Domain Controller.

i thought i fixed most of the issues (cruised a lot of forums) and the client side apps seems to be working with the server apps.

my issue now is that the server applications will not interact with each other even though they are on the same server nor will they update themselves.

they worked fine with each other and were able to update themselves before i made the server a DC.

the firewall was not changed and i have tried updating the server with the firewall turned off.

the client side QuickBooks application does update (patches) without issue. (workstations are all Win XP.SP2)

is there something in Win2003 DC that restricts permission for applications? how do i change that?

 

Well, yes and no. I am not sure your motive to make the Server a DC to secure it is really all that founded. While making a Server a DC will 'lock it down' to greater extent, it will also limit it's functionality to some extent and there are better ways to secure it.

Does the app run as a service? If it does, What account were you using to run the application(services) on the server? I'd be willing to bet that you were running the app as 'Local Admin' or another 'Admin Local' account. If that were the case, then understand this: When you DCPROMO a WIN2K or 2K3 server, the Local Admin (and Guest among others) account gets turned OFF. You can NO LONGER log in with or use the local admin account on that Server. You can, however, log in to the server 'Locally' but it must be done with a Domain Admin account or any other account that has been 'allowed'. (By 'Locally' I mean physically standing/sitting at the machine) You may have noticed that you are no longer able to select the local Machine Name to log in to also.

Check to see what, if any, services run on that Machine that are associated with the failing app. Make sure that the services run as 'Local System' or 'System'. That's the first thing I would be looking at.

On your 2K3 server.... go to Help and Support... then Index... then type SC.
SC.exe is a very handy tool for working on Services issues. Or just go to the command prompt and type--> SC.exe /?

HTH

 

you were right. logging in as "administrator" would not work but creating a domain user with admin rights did work!? MS needs a real "super-user" account.

the odd thing is i looked under the "administrator" account and it is a member of "Domain Admins."

who knows, maybe i'll figure this out before MS changes everything again.

let me know if you recommend any good reading material.

thanks again,

race

 

Well Race, honestly I can't really recommend any good books to read on this subject. Most of them, I am sure, are good references to use.

I spent 2 1/2 years in college to get my MCSE, MCSA among others. During that time I almost completely immersed myself in learning how everything works. When I got out I still didn't 'know' everything even though I thought I did . I understood the concepts and best practices but, then again, that isn't always how it works in the real world. I feel fortunate that I ended up with the job that I have, because without it, I would have never really seen how things interact in the real world and quite frankly, how you are NOT supposed to do things. You cannot replace real world experience. In time you will master most of what you purvey. If you have a problem with something, asking around and doing research on the Internet is almost always invaluable. There are things that mystified me in the beginning but now seem common place. Remember this, Knowledge is not knowing all the answers; it's knowing where to look to find them. I learn new things every day. In this field, if you stop learning, you get passed up! Sometimes, you just gotta grab the bull by the horns and try it.