Removing a non existant domain

[Guest]

I tried removing a non existant domain using ntdsutil but got the following
error Removing Non-Existant Domain with Ntdsutil.exe Generates
"DsRemoveDsDomainW Error" Error message, so I looked that up and found
article 235416. I tried using ADSIEDIT to connect to that domain and I
couldn't due to the fact that it couldn't find a domain controller for it. I
also tried using ldp.exe and tried binding to it but I needed a user name and
password and I do not know the password for that old domain.

What am I doing wrong? I take it I need to connect to that domain in order
to remove the objects the article tells me to remove but I can't seem to
connect. Can anyone help?

Thanks

 

[Herb Martin]

I tried removing a non existant domain using ntdsutil but got the following
error Removing Non-Existant Domain with Ntdsutil.exe Generates
"DsRemoveDsDomainW Error" Error message, so I looked that up and found
article 235416. I tried using ADSIEDIT to connect to that domain and I
couldn't due to the fact that it couldn't find a domain controller for it.
I
also tried using ldp.exe and tried binding to it but I needed a user name
and
password and I do not know the password for that old domain.

What am I doing wrong? I take it I need to connect to that domain in order
to remove the objects the article tells me to remove but I can't seem to
connect. Can anyone help?

First of all: Do everything you can to do this in NTDSUtil without
using ADSIEdit -- if NTDSUtil works it will do it correctly. If
you use ADSIEdit you are responsible for getting all of the details
correct (manually.)

Did you first remove all of the ABANDONED DCs from this
abandoned Domain? You cannot remove an abandoned domain
until all of the DCs from that domain have first been removed.

My general advice on NTDSUtil follows:

NTDSutil metadata cleanup

Search Google for:

[ NTDSutil "metadata cleanup" remove DC Domain ]

No need to add either site:microsoft.com OR microsoft:
since the NTDSutil and other terms make it Microsoft specific
by itself.

Unless you WISH to restrict answers to the site:microsoft.com
for some reason.

[ NTDSutil "metadata cleanup" remove DC Domain site:microsoft.com ]


Key points to NOTE when doing the metadata cleanup:
--------------------------------------------------------------

You CONNECT to a WORKING DC.
You SELECT the missing/dead DC or DOMAIN

'Connect' and 'Select' are technical terms in this context.

216498 - HOW TO Remove Data in Active Directory After an
Unsuccessful Domain Controller Demotion (2000 & 2003):
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=216498