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With VMWare server 1.x.x on a Linux host, whenever I move a particular Windows 2003 Server VM, I always have to remove it from the Domain, reboot, rejoin to the domain, reboot.

When I used to move it, I was always asked if I want to keep the ID, but it doesn't ask that anymore. My first guess is that this is the problem, because someone might have clicked 'always create new'. Does anyone know where that setting is kept? Or if this isn't the problem, what the problem might be?

Kyle Brandt
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  • What kind of errors happen in the Windows Server member when you move it around? David Spillett is correct-- the VM ID doesn't affect anything re: the Windows domain. You're only moving the VM and not rolling-back to an older snapshot-- correct? – Evan Anderson Jul 24 '09 at 14:29
  • I just get the generic 'Can not log into the domain because it is not available error.' Sorry, don't have the exact error anymore. – Kyle Brandt Jul 24 '09 at 14:43
  • Oh crap, actually in this case I am rolling back, because I was bring up an *older* copy. – Kyle Brandt Jul 24 '09 at 14:44

2 Answers2

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The only difference that the ID should make that Windows might notice, as far as I remember, is that it is used in generating the network adaptor's MAC address. I don't think this information is used when identifying machines in Windows domains.

I've not moved around any VMWare VMs on our current AD domain, but I had a lot of similar problems when rolling-back-to-snapshot VMs that were on our old NT based domain. If they stopped being able to authenticate with the domain after the rollback (it didn't always happen) I usually had to manually remove the server entry on the domain controller (this wasn't removed when dropping the VM off the domain from the machine itself) before being able to rejoin the machine.

David Spillett
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That's a very common problem with VMs that time travel (roll back a snapshot), I have a GPO object that fixes this that I drop into each OU where there are VMs present.

This MS KB article explains what's going on: Effects of machine account replication on a domain

Here's a link to how to create the GPO object I mentioned and here's another with some extra options for you to think about...

Ausmith1
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