Help big "Huge" problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chuck
  • Start date Start date
C

Chuck

Installed Active dir. during the install process got an
error and hit ok. the install process finished and
restarted. tryed to log on as administrator and no luck.
so i used a local account that was on the machine and
logged in fine. click on active dir users and computers
and there is nothing there but a red x and a get the
error "Naming information cannot be located because: the
server is not operational. Contact your admin to verify
that your domain is properly configured and is currently
online". it shows up in network places as a domain and
even has the domain name.

so i go to run dc promo to demote it to a stand alone
server and it wont let me. when i check last domain in the
forest it wants a username,pass,and domain name. i put in
the l/p that i signed on with and the domain name that i
logged into and it just keeps going back to the screen
when you check last domain in forest. so if i dotn check
that box i get prompted for a user name and password for
the administrator acount after the machine is demoted. so
i put in the l/p and after a second or to i get this
error "operation failed because: Failed finding a suitable
domain controller for the domain mydomain.org the
specified domain either does not exist or could not be
contacted".

Please help i need to get this back to a normal non active
dir machine without formating it. is there a way to try
and reinstall active dir?

Thanks
Chuck
 
Chuck said:
Installed Active dir. during the install process got an
error and hit ok. the install process finished and
restarted. tryed to log on as administrator and no luck.
so i used a local account that was on the machine and
logged in fine.
Click to expand...

AD did not install properly -- part of the installation throws
away the servers local accounts database.

If you cannot logon with the new Domain Admin account,
but can logon with an older Machine account then that is
strong proof that AD never installed.
so i go to run dc promo to demote it to a stand alone
server and it wont let me. when i check last domain in the
forest it wants a username,pass,and domain name. i put in
the l/p that i signed on with and the domain name that i
logged into and it just keeps going back to the screen
when you check last domain in forest. so if i dotn check
that box i get prompted for a user name and password for
the administrator acount after the machine is demoted. so
i put in the l/p and after a second or to i get this
error "operation failed because: Failed finding a suitable
domain controller for the domain mydomain.org the
specified domain either does not exist or could not be
contacted".
Click to expand...

You might try DCPromo /forceremoval but that requires
(nearly) Service Pack 4 on Win2000.

(I think this came in during some hotfix between SP3 and SP4,
or maybe even three had it, but by 4 the forceremoval switch
is available for sure.)
Please help i need to get this back to a normal non active
dir machine without formating it. is there a way to try
and reinstall active dir?
Click to expand...

You could also restore your system state backup or just try
a "repair install" before doing a format. Format are almost
never necessary (viruses might be an exception to that.)
 
Interesting Herb, I was unaware this was a relatively new feature (luckily
for me, I've only had to use it on SP4 machines).

Taken from http://support.microsoft.com/?id=332199:
"Install the Q332199 hotfix on a Windows 2000 domain controller that is
running Service Pack 2 (SP2) or later, or install Windows 2000 Service Pack
4 (SP4). SP2 and later support forced demotion. Then, restart your computer"


--

Paul Williams
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