KB172989 - Slow Name Resolution to Internet from Intranet

PSS ID Number: 172989

Article Last Modified on 10/9/2002

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0

This article was previously published under Q172989

SYMPTOMS

While forwarding queries to the Internet using a Domain Name Service (DNS) server with a computer running Windows NT Server version 4.0, your clients experience one or more of the following problems:

Internet name resolution is slow

-or-
Internet name resolution fails

-or-
Internet name resolution is intermittent.

NOTE: Local intranet name resolution operates successfully.

CAUSE

The cache file on your Windows NT 4.0 DNS server is corrupted or missing.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, copy a new cache file using the following steps:

Stop the DNS service by typing the following at a command prompt and then pressing ENTER:
net stop dns
Type the following and then press ENTER:
cd <%SystemRoot%>\System32\Dns
where <%SystemRoot%> is your Windows NT folder. For example, if Windows NT is installed in the WINNT folder, type the following at a command prompt and then press ENTER:
cd winnt\System32\Dns
Type the following and then press ENTER:
ren cache.dns cache.old
Type one of the following and then press ENTER:
copy backup\cache.dns
-or-
copy samples\cache.dns
NOTE: There should be an original copy of the Cache.dns file in both the Backup folder and the Samples folder.
Start the DNS service again by typing the following and then pressing ENTER:
net start dns

NOTE: It is possible for the cache file in the backup folder to also be corrupt. In that event, you will need to expand the original from your Windows NT source media by typing the following at a command prompt:

expand d:\i386\cache.dn_ %systemroot%\system32\dns\cache.dns

where d: is your CDROM drive.

For more information see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge base:

159310 Update Version of DNS.EXE Fixes Several Problems

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Keywords: kbinfo kbnetwork KB172989
Technology: kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000Serv kbwin2000ServSearch kbWinAdvServSearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTSsearch