_msdcs will not repopulate automatically

[FoxFlame]

This is a screwy server from the start (some of you may recall other issues posted before) so this could be anything.

This is a basic DNS "huh?" situation that I've run into before and don't recall how I fixed it.

Anyone who has installed DNS on a DC knows it starts up and populates with a bunch of folders, most notably the msdcs, which, without will cause the notorious error in dcdiag:

   Testing server: Default-First-Site-Name\defaultPDC
      Starting test: Connectivity
         The host deadbeef-9a74-4597-a702-2212969ee56e._msdcs.contoso.com 
         could not be resolved to an
         IP address.  Check the DNS server, DHCP, server name, etc
         Although the Guid DNS name
         (deadbeef-9a74-4597-a702-2212969ee56e._msdcs.contoso.com)
         couldn't be resolved, the server name (defaultPDC.contoso.com)
         resolved to the IP address (192.168.1.105) and was pingable.  Check
         that the IP address is registered correctly with the DNS server.
         ......................... defaultPDC failed test Connectivity

All mine is creating is itself, the SOA and the "Same as parent" folder.

So, I deleted them and recreated them. I deleted them and removed the DNS server, and reinstalled it. I tried primary, secondary/linked to AD or not. Secure Updates or both. I ran ADSI Edit to scan the MicrosoftDNS entries to see what was in there (Nothing but root servers) yet I still occasionally get Event ID 4010 stating:

The DNS server encountered error deadbeef-9a74-4597-a702-2212969ee56e attempting to load zone _msdcs.contoso.com from Active Directory. The DNS server will attempt to load this zone again on the next timeout cycle.

Frequently. So it is as though it is trying to do its job, it just can't.

There is only one NIC. It is pointed solely at itself (its IP, not the loopback address) as the only DNS server.

At the moment the HOSTS file in system32/drivers/etc/ does have a pointer to itself, just so critical services don't go nuts about not being able to find AD while trying to do something.

I've done the following, many times:
ipconfig /dnsflush
ipconfig /registerdns
net stop netlogon
net start netlogon
net stop dns
net start dns
(It's in a batch file now)

I've reset dns with dnscmd /Config /BootMethod (just did that actually)

I've checked and unchecked AD integration on the zone and I'm about to kill the zone and make it again to see if that helps.

If anyone has any advice on how to resolve this, that'd be awesome.

Thanks! and wish me luck,
--Fox

 

[FoxFlame]

Pity bump? No one is aware of how to fix this? I was hoping it's just a stupid little thing I'm missing somewhere.