DC crashed - remove AD?

[JT]

I have to preface this plea for help with the caveat that I'm pretty well
versed in NT4 domains, but relatively new to Win2k...

I have a Win2k DC that crashed. After running chkdsk, the server can boot,
but AD won't start. I've rebooted into AD repair mode, and run ntdsutil,
but it can't repair the database. (it fails with "database is
inconsistent")

There is another DC on the network - is there a way to simply remove AD and
reinstall, and have it grab the AD info from the other DC, a-la NT4? When I
try to run dcpromo to remove AD, it won't let me while in safe mode - and it
won't complete a boot normally.

Thanks.

 

[Herb Martin]

I have forgotten all the steps (but this cannot really hurt since you put
itPro
back):

Run in Directory Service Restore mode; RENAME the directory holding
AD (and the one with the logs if it is different.)

Try booting into normal mode -- if this doesn't work, reverse the rename.
If the machine boots as a server; retry DCPromo.

(There might be a "Registry entry" too but it really seems there isn't.)
There is also the problem of "where's the LOCAL Account's database?"
in normal mode....

This method worked for "promoting DCs" that were stuck HALF-way
through DCPromo....

From DS Restore you might also try NTDSUtil, Metadata cleanup.
KB articles say to NEVER run this without specific MS instructions but
if the server is dead, what the heck -- consider what it might do if you
bring it online with OTHER WORKING DCs though.

 

[Edward B. Hethcote]

Hi JT,

If you're going to rebuild the failed server, just power it off. On the
remaining DC, make sure it holds all the FSMO roles (netdom query fsmo will
tell you which server holds the roles).

Use 255504 to seize roles to existing DC if necessary
Use 216498 to clean the failed server out of AD

EBH

 

[JT]

Use 255504 to seize roles to existing DC if necessary
Use 216498 to clean the failed server out of AD

Thanks for the replies. This part above didn't make sense. Is this an
argument for dsutil?

JT

 

[Herb Martin]

I THINK he meant to search for those KB Article numbers at Microsoft
or on TechNet CD-ROM.

 

[JT]

I THINK he meant to search for those KB Article numbers at Microsoft
or on TechNet CD-ROM.

That makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

JT

 

[Cary Shultz]

-----Original Message-----


Thanks for the replies. This part above didn't make sense. Is this an
argument for dsutil?

JT


.

JT,

I am pretty sure that what Edward is suggesting is that if
what Herb stated does not seem to work for you then take a
look at the articles that he posted ( the links ) so that
you can have a reference point of how to use NTDSUtil to
SEIZE ( and NOT transfer - very important difference ) the
FSMO roles that the downed DC might hold...

HTH,

Cary