NEED TO RECOVER A FAILED DC

[IBS]

I have one server configured as DC in my network of about
150 nodes. I have added one more server as an adiitional
DC to the network.

My problem is that my primary DC had a hard disk faliure
and my additional server is serving the clients fine. I
want to know how I could install my crashed server as the
primary DC ,when I try to promote it it does not allow me
to use the same domain name since my additional DC is
assiged that name
Eraly respone will be greatly appreciated.

IBS

 

[Mark Ramey]

Seeing how the DC was not gracefully demoted to remove itself from AD you
will have to perform a metadata cleanup. Follow the steps below on the
existing DC.

1) Run a metadata cleanup per the following KB
216498 HOW TO: Remove Data in Active Directory After an Unsuccessful Domain
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=216498

2) Install the support tools off the server CD, support\tools\setup.exe and
use the following KB
328775 Cannot Delete a Computer Account for the Domain Controller in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=328775
Note that the userAccountValue for a 2000 DC should be 532480 and change it
to 4096.

3) Delete all references to failed DC out of AD Sites and Services, then in
AD Users and Computers.

4) Seize the FSMO roles over to the existing DC per the following
255504 Using Ntdsutil.exe to Seize or Transfer FSMO Roles to a Domain
Controller
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255504

5) Make sure the current DC is a GC, rejoin the old server to the domain and
promote up.