domain controller to a PDC

[Paul Felts]

I have 2 domain controllers (server and server1) server was my first PDC and
then I added server1 to the active directory. I had a major hard drive
failure on server. I put a new hard drive in server set up win2000 and added
it to the domain. The problem is server keeps searching for a PDC in the
domain. How do I make server a PDC from just a domain controller. Any help
would be appreciated.

 

[a-chadl [MSFT]]

| I have 2 domain controllers (server and server1) server was my first PDC
and
| then I added server1 to the active directory. I had a major hard drive
| failure on server. I put a new hard drive in server set up win2000 and
added
| it to the domain. The problem is server keeps searching for a PDC in the
| domain. How do I make server a PDC from just a domain controller. Any
help
| would be appreciated.
|
|
|

The first DC in a 2000/2003 domain receives all 5 FSMO roles. When this
machine crashed, it would have still held these roles. To get them back,
you will need to seize all of the roles.

First, install the Support Tools on the 'server1' DC. These are available
from the Windows installation CD. Once installed, open a command prompt and
type netdom query fsmo. This will tell you who it thinks holds the FSMO
roles. We want to do this on the second DC because it would still have
information from before the crash.

We then want to make sure all of hte roles are on which ever DC you wish.
The following article will tell you how to seize the roles:

255504 Using Ntdsutil.exe to Seize or Transfer FSMO Roles to a Domain
Controller
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255504



Chad A. Lacy
Windows 2000 Directory Services

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[Herb Martin]

I have 2 domain controllers (server and server1) server was my first PDC and
then I added server1 to the active directory. I had a major hard drive
failure on server. I put a new hard drive in server set up win2000 and added
it to the domain. The problem is server keeps searching for a PDC in the
domain. How do I make server a PDC from just a domain controller. Any help
would be appreciated.

Technically there is no "PDC" in a Win2000+ domain,
but there is a SET OF single master roles which include
the "PDC Emulator" plus the Schema Master, Domain
Naming Master, Infrastructure Master, and the RID
Master.

(Also the job of being GC.)

The roles were likely lost when you lost your first DC, so
look up NTDSUtil and read about doing using the ROLES
sub-area to SEIZE these roles. (Use AD Sites and Services
to make the current DC a GC.)

You will also need to use NTDSUtil "Metadata Cleanup"
to remove the lost DC from the AD.

Note: One should NEVER use "seize" when another choice
is available. One should ALWAYS "transfer" these roles if
possible but if the role holder is lost that just isn't a choice.

 

[Paul Felts]

I was able to seize the roles and all the errors stopped. You guys helped
me once again on a very stressful day, Thank You!

 

[Herb Martin]

Do you have a GC? You really should. Just check the
box in Sites and Services on the DCs NTDS properties.

 

[Doug]

The MetaData Clean up is important to do because Server1 still thinks the
OLD server is still around.

If you rebuilt the failed server with the same name without removing the
metadata you should be seeing some replication errors.

You will need to remove the rebuilt server from the domain with DCPROMO
/ForceRemoval. This will remove the DC with out replicating.

Then follow the metadata cleanup article (Q216498 I beleive). Once that
process is complete AND you have siezed the 5 FSMO roles and made server1 a
GC, then you return the rebuilt server to the domain with the same name.

If you gave the failed server a new name - you need only need to sieze the
roles and run through metadata cleanup.

doug

 

[Paul Felts]

I did start getting event errors:
#54 "windows time service can't find a domain controller" on server1 and
#8021 "the browser can't get a list of servers from the master server
//server1" on server.

I did use netdom query fsmo on server1 and it showed all five roles being on
that server. I did read under 255504 that the GC should not be on the same
domain controller as the Infrastructure Role so I checked the box on
"server" to set it as the Global Catalog and it logged it as being
successful.
It appears I will try the metadata cleanup once the full backup that's
currently running gets done later today.
Thanks

 

[Herb Martin]

I did use netdom query fsmo on server1 and it showed all five roles being
on

that server. I did read under 255504 that the GC should not be on the same
domain controller as the Infrastructure Role so I checked the box on
"server" to set it as the Global Catalog and it logged it as being
successful.

Only an issue IF you have multiple domains in the forest and then
YOU MUST have another DC to hold the GC. (i.e., never remove
the last GC.)

It appears I will try the metadata cleanup once the full backup that's
currently running gets done later today.
Thanks

 

[Jimmy Andersson [MVP]]

Regarding IM and GC.
If you have multiple domains and make all DCs GC, you can have GC and IM on
the same machine.

Regards,
/Jimmy

 

[Paul Felts]

Should I have server1 as the GC or is it ok to have it on server and could I
easily change it without reprecussions.

 

[Herb Martin]

Should I have server1 as the GC or is it ok to have it on server and could I
easily change it without reprecussions.

I don't understand the distinction in servers you mention.

It must be a DC to be a GC though, if that's what you are asking.