Domain Controller

[tgilmore]

Hello. I have made a horrible mistake and I sure hope that there is an easy solution out there. I recently replaced a PDC for a domain and I did not do it correctly. I should have demoted the original PDC and promoted the BDC but instead I put the new PDC on the network and now the BDC for this domain cannot find the domain controller for it's domain to process log in requests. So, instead of taking the BDC off of the network and reinstalling the operating system to regenerate a new SID, is there an easier way?

Also, if rebuilding this machine is the only option and I choose to do a fresh install will the hard drive retain the applications, configurations and files that were already there?

Any help you may be able to provide would greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.
Tracy

 

[Voyager1]

See if this will fit your situation:

Take the NEW PDC offline. Log onto the original BDC, run server manager and promote it to PDC. You may get errors, but just move on through the process. This should resolve the problem with the old BDC (which is now a PDC). You may need to rebuild the new machine, install it as a BDC, and then promote it to a PDC.

Can't think of anything else. Hope this helps... - Bill

"You can get anything you want out of life, if you'll just help enough other people get what they want" - Zig Ziglar

 

[SimonDavis]

I think there's something missing there.

You set up a new machine as a PDC, put it on the network then demoted the original PDC to a BDC? If you go into server manager on on of your NT servers, you should be able to see which one the 'Network' thinks is the PDC. You should be able to promote/demote as neccessary.

It might just be worth (in server manager) sychronising the entire domain. You could also look at the event manager to get more info about which server thinks it's doing.

I don't think you will need to do anything as drastic as reinstalling.

 

[tgilmore]

Thank you for your help. The computer I originally removed from the network was the PDC. We rebuilt a new computer to be the PDC and then put it on the network with the existing BDC. In Server Manager everything looks correct as far as which one is the BDC and which one is the PDC. When you log onto the existing BDC you get the error that it has no Domain controller to validate logon requests. Also, when you go into Server Manager the BDC (which is itself) only says that it is a workstation or server and it does not reflect itself as a BDC for that domain but it does reflect the correct PDC. The computer that is the PDC for the domain doesn't necessary have to be the PDC so I am hoping that I will be able to promote the old BDC and demote the PDC. Any comments would be helpful. Thank you again for all of your help.
Tracy

 

[polymath5]

I'm a little confused about the setup on your new machine. A BDC doesn't need a PDC to authenticate log on requests. Its whole reason for being IS to authenticate log on requests when the PDC isn't available. Also the fact that it doesn't show in Server Manager makes me think it hasn't been setup as a DC.

Check Upromote at

http://www.algintech.com

It can: Change a standalone NT server to a Primary Domain Controller (PDC).
Change a Primary Domain Controller to a standalone NT server.
Change a standalone NT server to a Backup Domain Controller (BDC).
Change a Backup Domain Controller to a standalone NT server.

It might be a big help in your situation!

 

[oldschool]

polymath5 - I've been looking for such a utility for some time and got all excited, but the link you provided didn't work. Typo?

tgilmore - I am assuming the new PDC can see the old BDC? (Browse to it, or even ping it?) I ran into this same problem back in the pre-SP3 days, and back then I needed to manually do an "add to domain" from the server manager. I haven't seen this problem since then, and have wondered if it was a rev level issue. Are both boxes at the same service pack revision level?

Have you tried doing a manual add of the BDC to domain from the new PDC?

Regards,
oldschool

 

[tgilmore]

Hello! The link that was provided didn't work but if you manually put it into the browser it does work. It seems like it would be a great tool but unfortunately, we do not run into these things often enough to buy the product. The service packs are the same (4). Also, I have tried to manually add the BDC to the domain on both the BDC and the PDC. I think my only solution at this point is to just suck it up and rebuild the BDC. Of course if anyone has any more ideas they would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Tracy

 

[polymath5]

Try this link:

http://www.algintech.com/UTools/UPromote.asp

If you only are doing one server it's $99. Balance that against your time $ spent rebuilding NT and reinstalling all your applications.