Windows 2003 guest - can't set a static IP

[cli1010]

Hello everybody,

I have a cluster of 4 x ESXi 4.1 and I am creating a Win2003 server guest,

Unfortunately I can't set a static IP for it. I tried almost all IPs in my range :-)...and I know for sure those are not allocated but I keep getting the same error:

"The static IP that was just configured is already in used on the network. Please reconfigure different IP address"

I have few Win 2008 guests on the same cluster and have no issues assigning static IPs. It happens only with W2003.

I am just out of options. I searched and tryed everything I could find on the forums including what is here on this KB:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100817...

but no luck.

Any suggestion/help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

[Troy_Clavell]

maybe something like below?

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=269155

If this is not a network adapter issue, you may need to check DNS to any tombstone records.

[cli1010]

Thank you Troy for your fast reply.

I tried that Microsoft article too but no luck.

Sorry for my ignorance, but how can you check DNS for tombstone entires?

[a_p_]

How did you configure the VM's and the virtual network?

I may be wrong, however to me this sounds like you are using EtherChannel and for some reason the VM can see itself over multiple paths.

Please check the Windows event log for entries, which eventually report the MAC address of the system with the duplicate IP.

André

[Troy_Clavell]

...and check your DNS server(s) just to confirm host records

[cli1010]

Thanks.

I found this entry. How can I determine who has that MAC address?

[a_p_]

Well, all I can say is, it's an IBM NIC (00:14:5E).

Depending on your environment you could try to find out the host by either:

- nslookup <ipaddress>

- ping -a <ip-address>

- mstsc/RDP to the system

- use a remote tools like dameware or psxec to connect to the system

There may be other option for e.g. Linux systems.

telnet and ssh are also options to try.

André

[cli1010]

That is the mistery. 

That IP doesn't answer to any ping/nslookup/rdp/etc/etc...and none of any other IP I try.

[a_p_]

Maybe the MS KB article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/164903/en-us may help.

André