To fix common Simple DNS Plus errors, you must typically address service startup timeouts, EDNS0 compatibility issues, or zone transfer blocks between primary and secondary servers.
Here is how to troubleshoot and resolve the most frequent errors encountered in Simple DNS Plus. Service Fails to Start on Boot
The Error: The Windows Event Log shows: “The Simple DNS Plus service failed to start due to the following error: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.”
The Cause: The host computer is too busy or low on memory during Windows startup. The Windows Service Manager terminates the process after its default 30-second wait window.
The Fix: Increase the Windows service startup timeout limit via the registry. Open the Windows Start menu, type regedit, and press Enter.
Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control.
Right-click the folder, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it ServicesPipeTimeout.
Double-click it, select Decimal, and set the value to 60000 (extends the window to 60 seconds). Not Resolving Internet Domains (RCODE 2 / Server Failure)
The Error: The server works perfectly for local domains but returns an RCODE 2 (Server Failure) when clients attempt to access external websites.
The Cause: Older firewalls or routers often block inbound EDNS0-enabled DNS requests, preventing the extension mechanisms for DNS from communicating properly. The Fix: Temporarily disable EDNS0 to isolate the issue. Open the Tools menu and select Options.
Go to the Miscellaneous section and uncheck EDNS0 maximum UDP payload size.
If external domains now resolve, update your local router or firewall firmware before re-enabling the option to maintain modern security compatibility. Failed Zone Transfer to Secondary Server
The Error: The log file or Active Log view displays a “Failed to Zone Transfer…” warning.
The Cause: Network firewalls or NAT routers are blocking the specialized TCP data channels required to sync zones. The Fix: Configure ports and verify spelling.
Ensure the zone name is spelled exactly the same on both the primary and secondary instances.
Open Port 53 TCP on any hardware firewalls between the two servers (standard DNS requests use UDP, but zone transfers rely on TCP).
If your primary server sits behind a NAT router, verify that the public IP address is targeted and that Port 53 TCP maps correctly to the private IP.
If the error mentions RCODE 5 Refused, navigate to the zone properties on your primary server and explicitly permit the secondary server’s IP in the zone transfer security list. Stale Data or Local Corruption Errors Not resolving Internet domains / Returns RCODE 2
Leave a Reply