JSI Tip 0957. DNS error - System Error 2: "The system cannot find the file specified".

Jerold Schulman

December 29, 1998

1 Min Read
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If you receive the subject error when starting DNS and your System Event Log contains:

   EventID: 1000   Source: DNS   Type: Error   Description: DNS Server could not open the file dns.   The data is the error.   Data: (grayed out)      EventID: 1004   Source: DNS   Type: Error   Description: DNS Server could not find or open database file dns.   Data: 0000: 02 00 00 00 (in bytes)      EventID: 7023   Source: Service Control Manager   Type: Error   Description: The Microsoft DNS Server service terminated with the   following error: The system cannot find the file specified.   Data: (grayed out)

browse to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetServicesDNSZones

and verify that the keys and zone files match.

If they don't, either remove the zone subkey(s) mentioned in the Event log or create the zone file(s) at %SystemRoot%system32dns.

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