2nd domain controller added does not process logins

Question

This probably a very simple answer, but have search wide/far and still can't fix my issue; I'm hoping someone here can point me in the correct direction. I'm just not a wiz with DNS/AD as I used to.
I am building a test domain in my VM environment and when I take down the #1 DC, (the one I built first), my test Win7 machine can NOT connect to the domain.  I'm more than certain this is a DNS issue, but do not know how to fix it.  This is an
AD integrated DNS, both DC's are GC's, both are running DNS and each point to themselves.  I'm using a Win7 machine that has static IP address - machine is a member of the test domain.
In order to "simulate" DC1 going down, I simply disable the NIC.
DC1: IP = 10.10.1.5
DC2: IP = 10.10.1.10
win7 Host: IP =10.10.2.10 (static assigned, so not AD integrated DHCP)
From the host, here is the IPCONFIG/all
C:\>ipconfig /all
Windows IP Configuration
   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : WIN7-ESX-PC
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . : doghouse.local
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : doghouse.local
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Network Connection
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-29-19-16-C4
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.10.2.10(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.10.1.5
                                       10.10.1.10
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
Also, when the NIC is UP on DC1, I see the following output on NSLOOKUP
C:\>nslookup
DNS request timed out.
    timeout was 2 seconds.
Default Server:  UnKnown
Address:  10.10.1.5
> set type=all
> _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.doghouse.local
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  10.10.1.5
_ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.doghouse.local     SRV service location:
          priority       = 0
          weight         = 100
          port           = 389
          svr hostname   = doghouse-dc2-srv.doghouse.local
_ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.doghouse.local     SRV service location:
          priority       = 0
          weight         = 100
          port           = 389
          svr hostname   = doghouse-dc1-srv.doghouse.local
doghouse-dc2-srv.doghouse.local internet address = 10.10.1.10
doghouse-dc1-srv.doghouse.local internet address = 10.10.1.5
when the NIC is down I get this, as well as if I reboot the machine and try to login, it says "no domain services available
> _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.doghouse.local
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  10.10.1.5
DNS request timed out.
    timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
    timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to UnKnown timed-out
Any help would be appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi all - sorry for the delay in responding (work happens).
So yes, the SVR records were properly listed in both DNS servers and I did multiple reboots; rebuilt the SVR records from scratch - just about everything under the sun -- I think added 2 more DC's to the mix, and moved FSMO roles over to one of them, then
began to demote the other 2 DCs to see if it was something in their build--in the end though I was never able to remove the original DC1 out of the domain - gave me odd messages about not being able to contact the domain to have it remove.  (this is after
FSMO roles were moved off) -
Long story short, I blew the configuration away and yet again started from scratch and it is working now as I'd expect.  Although when I do disabled the NIC from DC1 to simulate failure, it still takes about 10-15 sec for the machines to login to the
domain - when I type: echo %logonserver% it does confirm it hits DC2 when DC1 is down, but still a little delay.  I think the difference in the new configuration is that I set DC2's primary dns server to DC1.  I also installed DFS and the NETLOGON
shares are replicating, (not sure if that made a difference)
I guess for now we can consider this answered although I'm not sure who to give points to...I do appreciate everyone's time in reading and trying to help -- I bet this wont' be the last time I post here.