If anyone is interested (especially time travelers from the future), the fix for our issue was found here.
http://www.mail-archive.com/samba@lists.samba.org/msg31736.html a thread from way back in 2004... That along with the smb.conf line add machine script = /usr/sbin/smbldap-useradd -t 0 -w "%u" allows our XP machines to join domain on first attempt regardless of what OU we decide to place them in. Using a -i on the smbldap-useradd command line, as recommended by someone in the IRC #samba channel, does not work for us. Thanks Steve and Gaiseric for trying to help out. I tried both suggestions, but in the end, It appears I need the sub scope search in ldap.conf -- Bill Arlofski Reverse Polarity, LLC -- To unsubscribe from this list go to the following URL and read the instructions: https://lists.samba.org/mailman/options/samba