Error “Unable to obtain DNS hostname of Active Directory domain controller with ntdsa object name..” when opening CRM Deployment Manager

Hi,

Just came up with this same error twice so I decided to share what worked for me in both cases.

[ERROR]

After installing Dynamics CRM, when opening Deployment Manager, the following Exception arises: “Unable to obtain DNS hostname of Active Directory domain controller with ntdsa object name …”

Stack trace

Unable to obtain DNS hostname of Active Directory domain controller with ntdsa object name "CN=NTDS Settings,CN=CRM,CN=Servers,CN=Default-First-Site-Name,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=mydomain,DC=com".
Exception type:
System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.ActiveDirectoryOperationException
at System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Utils.GetReplicaList(DirectoryContext context, String partitionName, String siteName, Boolean isDefaultNC, Boolean isADAM, Boolean isGC)
at System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.DomainController.FindAllInternal(DirectoryContext context, String domainName, Boolean isDnsDomainName, String siteName)
at System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Domain.get_DomainControllers()
at Microsoft.Crm.Admin.AdminService.ConfigDBSecurity.SystemUserService.QueryDomainControllers(Domain currentDomain, String accountName)
at Microsoft.Crm.Admin.AdminService.ConfigDBSecurity.SystemUserService.GetCaseSafeName(String domain, String accountName)
at Microsoft.Crm.Admin.AdminService.ConfigDBSecurity.SystemUserService.GetCaseSafeName(String name)
at Microsoft.Crm.Admin.AdminService.ConfigDBSecurity.SystemUserService.GetIdsFromName(String userName)
at Microsoft.Crm.Admin.AdminService.ConfigDBSecurity.SecurityRoleService.TryVerifyUser(String userName, SecurityRole role)
at Microsoft.Crm.Tools.Admin.SystemUserController.TryVerifyUser()
at Microsoft.Crm.Tools.Admin.DMSnapInHelper.DisplayMessageBoxIfCurrentUserIsNotSystemUser(Console console)
at Microsoft.Crm.Tools.Admin.DMSnapIn.OnInitialize()
at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.SnapInBase.Initialized()
at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Internal.SnapInClient.Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Internal.ISnapInClient.Initialize(ISnapInPlatform snapInPlatform)
at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Executive.SnapInInitializationOperation.OnStart()
at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Executive.RunningOperationsTable.EnqueueOperation(Operation operation)
at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Advanced.FrameworkSnapInFactory.Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Advanced.ISnapInFactory.CreateSnapIn(Int32 bookkeepingId, String snapInKey, Object& snapIn)

After closing the above window, the following error comes up and the MMC snap-in unloads:

[SOLUTION]

What worked for me is to add the Preferred Domain Controller  value to MS CRM registry entries:HKLM\Software\Microsoft\MSCRM

For doing so, follow the next steps:

• Step 1. Right Click and click on NewString value as "PreferredDc"
• Step 2. Add the value to PreferredDc is YourDomainControllerName you can find this in your AD by typing the command in your cmd prompt echo %logonserver%

Hope it saves you some time,

PP [twitter: @pabloperalta]