So today I was working on the VMWare trying to get a virtual network up and running for enterprise application testing. I started with Windows Server 2003. I then made a copy of the server and then promoted the first one to be a domain server.
Note, when trying to do this sort of thing, remember that if you re-using an image and have them all “think” they are separate machines, you need to make sure to change the SID of new image (and name and fixed IP address)
The domain server needs to be set to have the DNS in its tcp/ip settings to be the loopback value 127.0.0.1, and then the other machines you want to subscribe to its domain, you need to have them point to the IP of the DNS machine.
So it was all going good, I got the DNS server happy, I got the image copy (using clone in VMWare and the Change SID utility you can download from MS), on the “network” as a different machine and subscribed to the domain server.
So now I try to take it the next step, I want a Domain Controller, A Web Server and an IIS Server, so just make another image / clone (using the one that already worked), modify its SID and do the same steps, and it should be done, right? NO. Everything seems to be going along all happy until it is time to subscribe the new image to the domain, and what do I get? I get an error.
And so far Google has been NO help. This same steps worked last time, what could be going on, I’ll have to figure it out, then I’ll come back and edit this entry to give you the answer (if I find one).
Well that was painful; and not easy to get. So I follow google links for a while, not getting anywhere (and searching on Endpoint Format is Invalid, was returning a whole bunch of stuff that was no use to me). When I find a sight that has my dialog!! only one problem, its in German and I failed my german classes in College.
so just as I’m about to close out the window in dispair, I see that link… what the heck, won’t cost me anything to follow it…
WOOO HOOO!
and its in english too!
Well rather then type up his answer (hint uninstall the vmware tools, join the domain, then reinstall the vmware tools), I’ll just let you follow the link from MY page and find the answer you are looking for. Good Luck!
David Hochstaetter: VMWare Endpoint Format is Invalid Join Domain
