DC Crash

[michael]

Hi-
Looking for some 'best pratice' sort of advice. Our 1st DC has crashed
it will not be coming back on-line. I don't know at this point if it
will ever boot again. The 2 other DCs on the network are handling the
all services-at a decreased performance level, they are not servers of
the same quality.
I will be putting a new machine in place (hopefully by tomorrow pm). Is
it best:
to add new server as a totally new machine, promote to dc allow to
assume necessary services and then run ntdsutil to seize FSMO roles from
the no longer live server

Attempt to bring the new server up and perform a system state
restore-see what happens.

I am fine with trying the system state restore only to totally refomat
and begin again if results are not good.

Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[Herb Martin]

Hi-
Looking for some 'best pratice' sort of advice. Our 1st DC has crashed
it will not be coming back on-line. I don't know at this point if it
will ever boot again. The 2 other DCs on the network are handling the
all services-at a decreased performance level, they are not servers of
the same quality.

Unless you have a very large domain almost any DC capable of
running the OS has enough horsepower for general Domain purposes.

Do you have a GC (available in each site)?

How about DNS? Are the clients still pointing at the old DC for DNS?

Is your DNS dynamic? (Or was the missing DC the only Primary/Master?)

I will be putting a new machine in place (hopefully by tomorrow pm). Is
it best:
to add new server as a totally new machine, promote to dc allow to
assume necessary services and then run ntdsutil to seize FSMO roles from
the no longer live server

At that point the "old DC" must NOT be brought back online as a DC.

You must DCPromo it, and then optionally DCPromo it again to DC, if
you wish to use the old machine again (after repairs.)

You will also need to clean up the abandoned DC object in AD -- using
NTDSUtil "metadata cleanup".

 

[michael]

Unless you have a very large domain almost any DC capable of
running the OS has enough horsepower for general Domain purposes.

Do you have a GC (available in each site)?

GC was available on other servers

How about DNS? Are the clients still pointing at the old DC for DNS?

clients are pointing to other DC, with DNS just set up after old dc crashed

Is your DNS dynamic? (Or was the missing DC the only Primary/Master?)

the missing dc was the primary/master

At that point the "old DC" must NOT be brought back online as a DC.

I don't think it will ever boot again

You must DCPromo it, and then optionally DCPromo it again to DC, if
you wish to use the old machine again (after repairs.)

You will also need to clean up the abandoned DC object in AD -- using
NTDSUtil "metadata cleanup".

Still not sure if restoring the system state of the old machine is worth
the attempt.
Thanks!

 

[Herb Martin]

Attempt to bring the new server up and perform a system state
IF you have no real use for the "old machine" as such then perhaps the
System State restore is not worth your time.

But if you have batch files and other users settings pointing at this
server name for other things like File, Print etc. then maybe it is.

Your choice. Could you just put the DISK drive in another machine?

(You might have to follow with a repair install from the original CD.)

 

[michael]

IF you have no real use for the "old machine" as such then perhaps the
System State restore is not worth your time.

But if you have batch files and other users settings pointing at this
server name for other things like File, Print etc. then maybe it is.

Your choice. Could you just put the DISK drive in another machine?

(You might have to follow with a repair install from the original CD.)

Tried the system state restore. The server were not identical and
evidently not close. Only spent about 30min. Wiping the new server clean
and will proceed with adding a new dc to the domain. will have to to
all the clean up as well. Thanks for your assist.

 

[Herb Martin]

Tried the system state restore. The server were not identical and

evidently not close. Only spent about 30min. Wiping the new server clean
and will proceed with adding a new dc to the domain. will have to to
all the clean up as well. Thanks for your assist.

Did you follow the System State restore with a Repair Install?

(Not to say you need to do it that way, but if you didn't try the
Repair Install you didn't give it a fair test and I wouldn't want
you to go away with an unfair impression of the System State
method.).

 

[Michael]

Did you follow the System State restore with a Repair Install?

(Not to say you need to do it that way, but if you didn't try the
Repair Install you didn't give it a fair test and I wouldn't want
you to go away with an unfair impression of the System State
method.).

Just wanted to follow up-
New DC was brought on line, was able to successfully sieze fsmo roles
and remove the 'dead' dc from the domain. thanks for your assist.

 

[Herb Martin]

Just wanted to follow up-

New DC was brought on line, was able to successfully sieze fsmo roles
and remove the 'dead' dc from the domain. thanks for your assist.

Happy to help. Remember your GC and check your DNS.

DCDiag is your friend (and NetDiag for clients).