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Q152936: XADM: Admin Doesn’t Browse for Exchange Server Computers

Article: Q152936
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): 4.0,5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kberrmsg kbnetwork kbusage exc4 exc5 exc55
Last Modified: 30-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

You install the Exchange Server Administrator program on a computer that is not
running Exchange Services. When you press the Browse button, the following error
message may be returned if no Exchange Server name is provided.

  Microsoft Exchange Administrator

  The list of Microsoft Exchange Server computers is not available because no
  Microsoft Exchange Server computer could be located.

  Microsoft Exchange Administrator
  ID no c10312c8

CAUSE
=====

The most common reason for this error message is that the primary domain
controller (PDC) for the domain the computer is a member of is not in the same
network segment as an Exchange server.

WORKAROUND
==========

To ensure reliable browsing, do one of the following:

- Provide a default server name before pressing the Browse button.

  -OR-

- Locate an Exchange Server computer on the same network segment as the PDC.

MORE INFORMATION
================

When the Browse button is pressed, Microsoft Exchange Administrator performs the
following actions in an effort to return the Exchange Organization hierarchy.

- If a server name was specified in the Administrator program's Connect to
  Server dialog box before the Browse button was pressed, the Administrator
  program attempts to use this server name.

- If no server name was specified, the Administrator program tries to find the
  Exchange Server computer on the local system.

- If it fails to find the Exchange Server computer on the local system, the
  Administrator program tries the default server name in the registry (if one
  was entered previously through the Administrator program user interface).

- The Administrator program then tries the RPC Locator service, requesting that
  it "find" an Exchange Server computer.

The RPC Locator takes the following actions in an effort to find the requested
RPC service (Exchange). The following behavior is for Windows NT 4.x.

- The RPC Locator looks in the local RPC Locator cache to see if it has already
  successfully performed this lookup for an Exchange Server computer. If it
  has, The RPC Locator returns the answer from cache.

- If the local computer is a Windows NT Workstation in a Windows NT domain, the
  RPC Locator then finds a Windows NT domain controller (DC). It looks for a
  PDC first, and then for backup domain controllers (BDCs).

  1. If a DC is found, the RPC Locator asks it to find an Exchange Server
     (consult step 3 to see how a DC finds Exchange Server computer). If the DC
     returns a success, the RPC Locator adds the response to the RPC Locator
     cache. The RPC Locator returns the response from the DC (success or
     failure) to the requesting application (the Exchange Server Administrator
     program).

  2. If no DC is found, the RPC Locator issues a local broadcast looking for
     any Exchange Server computers. If any responses are returned from the
     network, the RPC Locator adds them to the cache and returns the answer to
     the requesting application.

- If the local computer is a Windows NT Domain Controller, or a Windows NT
  Workstation in a Workgroup, the RPC Locator issues a local broadcast looking
  for any Exchange Server computers. If any responses are returned from the
  network, the RPC Locator adds them to the cache and returns the answer to the
  Exchange Server Administrator program (or the Windows NT Workstation if this
  request came from a Windows NT Workstation in a Windows NT domain).

When the Exchange Server Administrator program fails to find any Exchange Server
computers to obtain the Exchange Organization Hierarchy, it is usually because
the PDC is located on a network segment where no Exchange servers exist. Because
the Locator Service uses a broadcast-based discovery mechanism, routable
protocols such at TCP/IP fail to discover Exchange Server computers unless they
are on the same network segment. To ensure reliable browsing, a default server
name should be provided prior to hitting the browse button, or an Exchange
server should be located on the same network segment as the PDC.


Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kberrmsg kbnetwork kbusage exc4 exc5 exc55 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : :4.0,5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbhowto

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