DC/AD restore frustrations

C

cpu

Please don't respond if you have never successfully restored a Win2000 or
2003 domain controller or English is not your primary language.

Test Scenario #1
I install Win2003 (w/SP1) on to a known working Compaq server in a test lab
environment (one large drive C: ). I run dcpromo and create a new forest and
domain tree, reboot, and then create some dummy OUs and user accounts. I run
NTBACKUP and backup the entire server (inc. system state, etc) to a USB
key/external USB drive.
I wipe the server disk clean and install Win2003 (w/SP1). It is a
stand-alone server now. I run NTBACKUP and RESTORE the backup from the USB
key/external USB drive and tell NTBACKUP to overwrite everything. NTBACKUP
announces it is successful and tells me to reboot. I reboot. The computer
fails to load Win2003 saying missing \windows\system32\system\config

What am I doing wrong?!?!?

Test Scenario #2
Our production Win2003 (w/SP1) DC is backed up to tape every night using
Veritas BackupExec 9.1 and a Quantum SDL320 drive.

I install Win2003 (w/SP1) on to a known working Dell server (differnt
hardware specs to the production Dell server) in a test lab environment
using the same software configuration as the production server. I install
Veritas BackupExec 9.1, the Quantum drivers, etc. I catalog the tape using
BackupExec.
I reboot the server into Directory Services Restore Mode. I run BackupExec
9.1 and carry out a restore of ONLY the System State and System Services and
options to overwrite everything. After restoring approx 1.3GB data
BackupExec informs me it failed and was unable to restore the data to an
alternate location.Note: I did NOT tell the computer to restore to an
alternate location but to overwrite everything.

What am I doing wrong??!?

Why is it impossible to easily restore such a critical server?

I've read articles like:
http://www.windowsecurity.com/artic...Directory_Part_3__Backup_and_Restoration.html
http://www.windowsecurity.com/artic...000_Active_Directory_Part_4__Restoration.html

and the articles are an absolute joke. Does anyone know what they are going
on about?

Look forward to hearing from an MVP or MCSE or MS employee who has actually
carried out a successful restore in a lab environment.

- Frustrated sysadmin.
 
J

j

Hi,

I'm having similar problems. It looks like either something is
wrong with sp1 and/or it doesn't like the \sysvol or \ntds
folders living on a different drive.

I'm using Dell PE2650's which have an identical config.

I reverted to a dcpromo /adv on the live network to get a system
I could copy then used the ntdsutil to clean up the metadata
afterwards. Is this the preferred method of doing it?

I followed the kb's to change the server's burflags for a
dis-similar platform. Is there a hotfix or something available
for this.

I appreciate you guys giving up your time for free to answer
these queries.

Thanks,

James
 
J

Jim

Kind of made progress.

The restore worked but when I log in as admin I get the previous name of
the server when it was in workgroup mode. When I log in with an AD
account, it loads the new server name and the directory service. Cool
or what?

Anyone got any thoughts on whats going on here. I had expected a
restore to zap any previous config and that doesn't seem to have
happened. What exactly do you need to do to restore a system state?
 

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