Don said:
When I read the procedure to install a new domaincontroller from media there
are two things make me think this isn't possible.
1) Systemstate can only be restored on the same machine
2) When selecting an alternate location AD cannot be restored
Installing a DC from media violates both statements. I'm obviously
overlooking something? Can anybody explain?
Yes it does violate both statements. There is a difference between restoring
a preconfigured DC and installing a stand-alone server for promotion. No
matter how carefully you configure a DC, it can never operate as a DC in a
logical domain its not a member of.
Therefore, a DC implies:
There already is a logical domain that exists where the DC is already a
member. It belongs to a given domain identified by a Security Identifier and
the DC itself is nothing more than a SID. Names are irrelevent.
You can't come along to any AD network, and just drop a DC into place and
expect replication to occur. An AD-based forest/domain-tree implies a unique
entity. The same goes for each DC in each one of those domains.
None of this prevents you from recovering from a DC crash in the case you
have media with a full backup of that targetted server. Replication brings
the DC up to date. Replication can only occur if the restored DC is
authorized to act as a DC on that domain.
So basicly, there is no such thing as "installing a DC from media" but
rather: "installing that particular DC from its own backup". Otherwise, you
need to install a stand-alone server, join the domain and finally promote
the member server to a DC.
