master browser

[dinakar]

i am having a network of 50 systems in wich , onenovell server , one windos 2003 server , two windows 2000 servers are there...except them all are windos 2000 professional and xp clients...in all client systems i found in event viewer , i got the following message.
The browser was unable to promote itself to master browser. the computer that currently believes it is the master browser.
so as per my knowlegde , all systems are behaving that they are the master browsers.....but actually they are not ..... so unnecessarly creating the network traffic , to solve this issue , which registry key i have to modify .............
plzelp e in this issue ,............
thankx in advance

[FastLearner]

I had a hard time understanding exactly what you're asking, but here's a response nonetheless. Please let me know if I'm answering the wrong question...:D

If you're using anything newer than Windows NT (which you are), you are in an Active Directory environment. With Active Directory came the notion that all domain controllers are equal - the days of NT's Primary and Backup Domain Controllers are gone forever, but that is a good thing for the network admin. Part of how Active Directory keeps itself up-to-date on all domain controllers is sending broadcast messages at certain intervals (but it does usually try to do this during slow network traffic times). So this means that your options are:

1) accept that the domain controllers need to communicate with one another in order to stay updated.

or

2) use only one of your servers as a domain controller.

[gary_hendricks]

It sounds like a domain controller problem. Like FastLearner said, use only one of your servers as the dc.

[dinakar]

we are using novell file server , not windows 2000 / 2003 server ..........as domain controllers......novell distriuted services(nds)..

[Ghost_Hacker]

The master browser can be (almost) any Windows computer. It has nothing to do with the domain ( in a "control" sense IE: a Domain controller) but is simply the computer that holds the "list" of computers you see when you access the net 'hood.


If you wish to stop your Windows computers from trying to become a Master browser then you need to change the following Registry key :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Browser\Parameters

Change the "MaintainServerList " entry to "no". Any Windows computer with that entry will not take part in what are called master browser elections. Please note that if you want the net 'hood to function correctly at least one Windows computer will need that setting to remain unchanged.( in a large network you would leave all server class computers with that setting and only disable the workstations. In your environment you might choose one or two workstations to remain part of the browser elections. It's your call :))


Go here: http://www.comptechdoc.org/os/windows/ntwsguide/ntwsnfinding.html

for more details.

Hope this helps :)

[dinakar]

thx a lot for ur reply M/s ghost master ...
this is what i needed , i am cleared now , but this setting will prevent the systems from unnesessary network traffic creation ?

[Ghost_Hacker]

Yes, once you make that change to your registry (for each computer) they will no longer send out "master browser election" request.

Hope this helps :)