Migrate Primary Domain Controller information to the same machine?

[rzward]

Hello,

I have MS Windows 2000 Advanced Server on a Proliant 3000 machine running as the primary domain controller for my network.

Unfortunately, the server is limping along after having lost its primary system hard disk. The system disk was mirrored and the machine is now running off of the mirrored disk but the logical disk management services are not starting. Everything I try to get the disk management services to work fail. I have another discussion on this forum about this. Without the disk management services, I can't mirror the system disk. In addition, I can't do other things such as install updates because Windows Installer hangs, and so on.

I am now hoping to install MS Windows 2000 Advanced Server on another disk on the same machine and migrate the primary domain controller information to the new installation.

I have read how to do this when I install MS Windows 2000 Advanced Server on a different computer but is there a convenient way to do this on the same machine that is better than doing the following:

1) get another machine (call it machine #2)
2) install MS Windows Advanced Server on machine #2
3) promote the install on machine #2 to PDC
4) demote PDC on the original machine #1
5) wipe out and install MS Windows Advanced Server on machine #1
6) promote the install on machine #1 to PDC
7) demote PDC on machine #2
8) put machine #2 back where I found it

Thank you in advance for your help.

Richard

 

[adcfaq]

ok, your case involves 2 part.

1. dcpromo 2nd DC and transfer FSMO (pdc emulator) over
2. demote first PDCemulator
notes: if step 2 fails, u need to do a metadata cleanup on the first DC

here is detail steps

1. dcpromo on 2nd box to make it a DC
2. use ADUC snap-in or ntdsutil to transfer FSMO from 1st box to this one
3. dcpromo on the 1st box to demote it
4. if step 3 fails, dcpromo/forceremoval on the first DC to forcefully demote it to a member server
5. on 2nd DC, u need to do a metadata cleanup

http://www.petri.co.il/fix_unsuccessful_demotion.htm

6. fix all hardware issue on first DC and dcpromo it back to be a DC
7. transfer FSMO back to the 1st DC
8. you are happy with 2DCs as redundcy.lol.

---------------------------------------
Sr. Directory Services/Exchange Consultant

http://adcfaq.8m.com/

 

[rzward]

Thank you for the information.

It looks like I do need another machine. I will give this a try. It will take a few days to get the other machine...

Richard