Question : DS_E_Communications_Proble<wbr />m error message trying to run Exchange Admin from Win2k Professional

When trying to connect to our exchange server from a WIN2k Prof computer I get this message: "DS_E_Communications_Problem". I can see the exchange server when I hit the browse button, just can't connect. I have pinged back and forth from these 2 computers using IP addresses and netbios names. The user on the WIN2k box has administrative rights on the domain. The WIN2k Prof has SP3 installed. The exchange server has NT 4 with SP6a and Exchange Server 5.5 with SP4 installed. I also tried to install and use Exchange Administrator from another Win2k prof box and it didn't work there either. But I can run Exchange Administrator from another server that is running under WIN NT 4.0.  I have given the user of the WIN2k box service account adminstrator in the Site, Configuration and Servers containers using Exchange Administrator on the Exchange Server.

Real Baffled

Thanks for your help.

Answer : DS_E_Communications_Proble<wbr />m error message trying to run Exchange Admin from Win2k Professional

I guarantee that the problem remains permissions or connectivity.  Connectivity includes name resolution.  Look in your netbios name cache (nbtstat -c) and see if the Exchange server you are connecting to is listed with it's proper IP address.  If you make an LMHOSTS file entry, be sure to do a nbtstat -R to purge and reload your name cache.  Also, make sure NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled.

If it's not connectivity, then it's permissions.  You can rule this out by making sure you logged on as the same account that you log on with on the machine that can connect.

Focus on permissions and connectivity.  It is unlikely that it is anything else.

OneHump