Need to reinstall a critical primary domain controller

[DSOFT]

Hi: I have a big problem, need to reinstall my critical primary domain controller, where i have 300 user acounts anda 5 scsi discs with RAID5 and about 30 Gbyes of data, i planned the following items to do this very critical task:

1. install a new NT4 as a Backup Domain controller
2. promote this BDC to a PDC
3. make a full backup of all files of the "old" PDC, including users and folder permissions (NTFS permissions and shared permissions)
4. reinstall the Windows nt4 in the "old" PDC, and install as a BDC
5. promote the BDC as a PDC
6. the task is done!!

this is a VERY CRITICAL task for me, any suggestions? annyone can help me to make this task done?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Jump1ng]

My first question is why do you need to do this? If you are putting the machine back as pdc?

Do you have any kind of tape backup facility on your pdc? If you do make a NEW backup before you start anything.

If you have that copy I would still take copies of stuff to the bdc, but then I would install a plain NT 4 on the pdc into a folder called something like winntnew (just something diffrent from the current NT4 folder. Install tape drivers so you can restore your backup tape. Say yes to overwrite any files.

Make sure that the boot.ini points to the restored winnt folder and reboot.

You should know have everything back and it should work as before.

 

[rdroske]

Make a list of all the hardware (display card, Raid Controller, SCSI cards, NIC, Tape Drive anything else listed) with model #s driver versions before you take the PDC down.

Make sure you have or can get the drivers. You will need at least the RAID controller on floppies to get NT installed. Then the NIC at least once you have have NT running.

After that you probably want to download the latest anyways but make sure you know what you need to get started.

If you have the space I would restore the files you need to back up to another server and verify as best you can.

Is your backup software running on this machine? If so you might want to duplicate that somewhere. Any other apps, printers etc. ?

 

[mattjurado]

Whatever you do, make sure you do a full backup of data, and restore the backup of data, so you know its intact. Yes, this might take awhile, but without it, you don't know that you have a copy of everything. You might even copy the data to a workstation, might be faster to restore than from your tape.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[DSOFT]

Thanks for all of your responces, i have this cuestion, if i make a NEW installation of my server, what i need to do if i need to use the SAME server name for this NEW server?

This is becouse the workstations access to the server via \\servername\shared_directry



Thanks

 

[Jump1ng]

It should be fine having the same name with the server again.

If you restore your machine the way I mentioned in the previous post it will be exactly like your server is now with name etc etc.

Thats the good thing with doing it that way, the workstations doesn't need any reconfiguring at all. Which is a GOOD thing

 

[DSOFT]

Thanks Jump1ng!: Do you have any MSN, i want to talk with you, my msn is costumbre99@hotmail.com

 

[Jump1ng]

I do at home but not at work.

I finish the day in about 20 min so will try and get hold of you later on.

I have one question still...why do you need to re-install the machine? This old saying if it aint broke dont fix it springs to mind

 

[DSOFT]

ok, im online at my MSN for 30 mins.

I need to reinstall the server becouse the server is infected with virus, an cant remove that virus.

 

[Jump1ng]

I see its a virus.

Do you know which virus it is? I found that using tools like stinger from network associates or a spefic removal tool from symantec is A LOT better to actually remove the virus than the normal antivirus solution they provide.

If you know the name of the virus try using the corresponding removal tool from symantec.

Because the problem is if you restore your backup you will have the virus again...so that means you wasted HOURS of time restoring the machine to get back everything including the virus.

If you can't find a proper removal tool for this virus there should be guides in howto manually removing it (changing registry deleting files etc.)

What antivirus are you running on the server at the moment?

 

[DSOFT]

The server dont have antivirus, thats the problem!

I cant open the console from the server, i can access only via network to the file system, i supouse that i cant open the server console becouse the virus.

I think if i reinstall the server and restore from the backup only the application data (and not \winnt) the problem is resolved!

 

[Jump1ng]

Well if you don't restore application data nothing will work and you will have to reinstall everything.

Can you start explorer on the server? Or can u use the run box and type in a username?

Try downloading the latest stinger and run it from a run box.

I really think it should be possible to fix it without having to restore the whole server.

 

[DSOFT]

When i put the user name and pass of the admin in the "log on" box, the screen appears "blank" and cant type anything, if i pulse ctrl+alt+del y cant run any applications

 

[Jump1ng]

So it boots up fine and it prompts for press ctrl+alt+del ok? It does bring up the login box but you can't type anything in the boxes?

Thats a weird one never heard of a virus that does that, altho thats not saying that there isn't a virus that causes this problem.

One way to check the drive for viruses would be to put the drive in a win2k machine which can read the disk fine and you should be able to run a virus scan on the drive.

You dont have any software like pc-anywhere, vnc that runs on the server that you could try and send the password and username with?

Have you tried using your windows recovery disks?

 

[DSOFT]

no, i can press ctrl+alt+del, anda type the admin user and pass, but when i press the OK buttom ths system dont show me any icons, the only task that i can make is ctl+alt+del tu see the security windows box!!!????