Question : Browser Errors on DC1 & DC2

Hi all,

Hope you can help on this one and clear up this issue once and for all.  I've searched all over and have tried a things, tests, checking various settings etc

These are the following events that are being logged constantly on DC1 & DC2
 
DC1
 
Event Type: Error
Event Source: MRxSmb
Event Category: None
Event ID: 8003
Date:  5/19/2004
Time:  3:06:05 AM
User:  N/A
Computer: DC1
Description:
The master browser has received a server announcement from the computer xxxx017 that believes that it is the master browser for the domain on transport NetBT_Tcpip_{78358589-8BCC-4A3C-. The master browser is stopping or an election is being forced.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 03 00 4e 00   ......N.
0008: 00 00 00 00 43 1f 00 c0   ....C..À
0010: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00   ........
0018: 92 00 00 00 00 00 00 00   ’.......
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00   ........
 
DC2
 
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: BROWSER
Event Category: None
Event ID: 8021
Date:  19/05/2004
Time:  02:08:20
User:  N/A
Computer: DC2
Description:
The browser was unable to retrieve a list of servers from the browser master DC1 on the network \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{E96E9B33-3EB0-4028-889E-CE48D5AA8750}. The data is the error code.
Data:0000: 40 00 00 00      
 
I've run a Browstat test on DC1...............

Status for domain xxxxx on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{78358589-8BCC-4A3C-AB
1-042BC7A74B5F}
    Browsing is active on domain.
    Master browser name is: DC1
        Master browser is running build 2195
    3 backup servers retrieved from master DC1
        \\server2
        \\server3
        \\DC2
    There are 32 servers in domain xxxxx on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{7835
589-8BCC-4A3C-AB71-042BC7A74B5F}
    There are 1 domains in domain xxxxx on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{78358
89-8BCC-4A3C-AB71-042BC7A74B5F}
 
Browstat test run on DC2............
 
Status for domain xxxxx on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{78358589-8BCC-4A3C-AB
1-042BC7A74B5F}
    Browsing is active on domain.
    Master browser name is: DC1
        Master browser is running build 2195
    3 backup servers retrieved from master DC1
        \\server2
        \\server4
        \\DC2
    There are 32 servers in domain xxxxx on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{7835
589-8BCC-4A3C-AB71-042BC7A74B5F}
    There are 1 domains in domain xxxxx on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{78358
89-8BCC-4A3C-AB71-042BC7A74B5F}
 
Both have reported DC1 being the master.  I'm just slightly concered the browsing isn't being handled correctly ?  Is this normal behaviour ?  

Also xxxx017 doesn't exisit on the network.  I cannot ping it, no DNS or DHCP records either.  Although it does appear in the list when browsing the network, so it appears it's an old workstation hanging around somewhere.  Do you know where ?
 
Thanks again
Steven

Answer : Browser Errors on DC1 & DC2

You are thinking along the right lines - I was coming to the same conclusion, but wanted to be sure of your environment before recommending a solution and how to implement it.
As all your clients are above Windows 2000, then you can use Group Policy to disable the Browser service.
However you need to be sure that you don't disable it for the domain controllers - meaning that using the default policy is out of the question.
What I have tended to do is create a new policy called users, which can be overridden by the domain controllers policy. In the users policy specifically disable the browser service and in the domain controllers policy specifically enable the browser service.

The site I usually direct people to for Group Policy links and information is labmice: http://www.labmice.net/

Also - if you are using all Windows 2000 servers and Workstations (or later) then you don't need WINS. Get rid of it. It causes lots of problems. DNS is enough if setup correctly.

Simon.