Remove the Root Domain in the Forest

[Guest]

Windows 2000 setup:
I have 2 domains in the forest and want to remove the parent domain which is
the root domain in the forest. I have already transferred all 5 roles to the
second domain.
Currently I have only one DC on root domain where I see enterprise admin
group but I don’t see that group in second domain.

My question is can we remove a root Domain from the forest and if yes, will
my enterprise Admin group be transferred after demoting the last DC on root
domain.

 

[Roger Abell [MVP]]

Windows 2000 setup:
I have 2 domains in the forest and want to remove the parent domain which
is
the root domain in the forest. I have already transferred all 5 roles to
the
second domain.

Are you sure ?

Currently I have only one DC on root domain where I see enterprise admin
group but I don't see that group in second domain.

That is correct, it is a principal of the forestroot domain

My question is can we remove a root Domain from the forest and if yes,
will
my enterprise Admin group be transferred after demoting the last DC on
root
domain.

In so far as I know, the only way to get rid of the forestroot
domain is to get rid of the forest.

 

[Harj]

Windows 2000 setup:
I have 2 domains in the forest and want to remove the parent domain which is
the root domain in the forest. I have already transferred all 5 roles to the
second domain.
Currently I have only one DC on root domain where I see enterprise admin
group but I don't see that group in second domain.

My question is can we remove a root Domain from the forest and if yes, will
my enterprise Admin group be transferred after demoting the last DC on root
domain.

Hi,

Any domain can be moved or removed EXCEPT the root domain.
I am still wondering how you moved the PDC, Infrastructure, RID master
roles from one domain to a completely different domain........
Each domain has their own RID, PDC, and Infrastructure masters.

You have a couple of choices here. Migrate all the users to the child
domain and keep the root empty.
Or the smarter thing to do here is to migrate the child domain to the
root domain and then you remove the child domain and rename the root
domain.
Or you create a new forest and migrate to the new forest.
But to my knowledge you cannot rename W2K domain. This feature is
only available in W2K3.

All of this said, you have to put into consideration DNS, Exchange,
and other back end services you are running.

Good luck

Harj Singh
Power Your Active Directory Investment
www.specopssoft.com

 

[Joe Richards [MVP]]

No you cannot ever remove the root domain, it is the only one that must
exist.

--
Joe Richards Microsoft MVP Windows Server Directory Services
Author of O'Reilly Active Directory Third Edition
www.joeware.net


---O'Reilly Active Directory Third Edition now available---

http://www.joeware.net/win/ad3e.htm

 

[Roger Abell [MVP]]

Hi,

Any domain can be moved or removed EXCEPT the root domain.
I am still wondering how you moved the PDC, Infrastructure, RID master
roles from one domain to a completely different domain........
Each domain has their own RID, PDC, and Infrastructure masters.

Ya, or how moved the other two to another, non-forestroot, domain

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply... I didn’t move all roles but other two roles (Schema
role and
Domain role) I meant to say second domain has all roles.

I have already moved all users to second domain but I don’t want the root
domain to be there.

I have decided to create a new forest W2k3, create a trust and migrate to
new domain.

Thanks everyone.