Ok, so I am trying to promote my 03 server to a PDC. It is currently a BDC. So I read in a thread somewhere that I need to use server manager to accomplish this. When I run server manager, I get a message that says "Cannot find Primary DC for [domain name]. you may administer the domain, but certain domain-wide operations will be disabled". After I ok that message, and click on the server name in the list of computers, and then click on the computer "tab" at the top, the "promote to primary domain controller" option is greyed out. It should be noted that I am trying to do this because my existing PDC got devastated by a virus, and it is all but dead. Any suggestions?
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Promoting to PDC 1
- Thread starter DoahMonty
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Was your other DC a 2000 box? The reason I ask is if you had coexistance between 2 2003 boxes all you would need to do is seize the fsmo roles, edit dns accordingly and whatever you see fit in regards to sites and services, srv records and the like.
If you did have a 2000 server you would need to run forestprep and domainprep and promote the new machine to a DC and then transfer all the roles from the 2000 box, and make it a global catalog server.
Also there is a forum posting about this here...
Also there is a forum posting about this here...
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Ok, from what I've read at the link you provided, it looks like either way, I have to get this old 2000 PDC to see the new one via the network, and vice versa... Is that accurate, or is there any other way to transfer FSMO roles (external HD, etc..)? Excuse me if that's a dumb question, I've never dealt with AD on this level before. It's a bit over my head... TY for the previous posts...
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Since the old 2000 DC is dead you will need to seize the fsmo roles. Take a look at this.
Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager
Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager
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Well I tried following the KB article step by step to seize the FSMO roles, and unfortunately it still wants me to connect via ntdsutil.exe to the PDC to "seize" the roles. This didn't work for me, because my PDC's networking is inoperable from the virus... Isn't there a way to transfer them without using the network? I didn't see anything in the KB about it... Thanks for the suggestions...
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- #11
Here are the step to seize the roles from the KB article I referenced. I do not see where it is asking to connect, in your case, the dead DC. All of these steps should be done from the DC that you want to hold the FSMO roles. Let me know if I am missing something.
Seize FSMO roles
To seize the FSMO roles by using the Ntdsutil utility, follow these steps:
1. Log on to a Windows 2000 Server-based or Windows Server 2003-based member computer or domain controller that is located in the forest where FSMO roles are being seized. We recommend that you log on to the domain controller that you are assigning FSMO roles to. The logged-on user should be a member of the Enterprise Administrators group to transfer schema or domain naming master roles, or a member of the Domain Administrators group of the domain where the PDC emulator, RID master and the Infrastructure master roles are being transferred.
2. Click Start, click Run, type ntdsutil in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Type roles, and then press ENTER.
4. Type connections, and then press ENTER.
5. Type connect to server servername, and then press ENTER, where servername is the name of the domain controller that you want to assign the FSMO role to.
6. At the server connections prompt, type q, and then press ENTER.
7. Type seize role, where role is the role that you want to seize. For a list of roles that you can seize, type ? at the fsmo maintenance prompt, and then press ENTER, or see the list of roles at the start of this article. For example, to seize the RID master role, type seize rid master. The one exception is for the PDC emulator role, whose syntax is seize pdc, not seize pdc emulator.
8. At the fsmo maintenance prompt, type q, and then press ENTER to gain access to the ntdsutil prompt. Type q, and then press ENTER to quit the Ntdsutil utility.
Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager
Seize FSMO roles
To seize the FSMO roles by using the Ntdsutil utility, follow these steps:
1. Log on to a Windows 2000 Server-based or Windows Server 2003-based member computer or domain controller that is located in the forest where FSMO roles are being seized. We recommend that you log on to the domain controller that you are assigning FSMO roles to. The logged-on user should be a member of the Enterprise Administrators group to transfer schema or domain naming master roles, or a member of the Domain Administrators group of the domain where the PDC emulator, RID master and the Infrastructure master roles are being transferred.
2. Click Start, click Run, type ntdsutil in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Type roles, and then press ENTER.
4. Type connections, and then press ENTER.
5. Type connect to server servername, and then press ENTER, where servername is the name of the domain controller that you want to assign the FSMO role to.
6. At the server connections prompt, type q, and then press ENTER.
7. Type seize role, where role is the role that you want to seize. For a list of roles that you can seize, type ? at the fsmo maintenance prompt, and then press ENTER, or see the list of roles at the start of this article. For example, to seize the RID master role, type seize rid master. The one exception is for the PDC emulator role, whose syntax is seize pdc, not seize pdc emulator.
8. At the fsmo maintenance prompt, type q, and then press ENTER to gain access to the ntdsutil prompt. Type q, and then press ENTER to quit the Ntdsutil utility.
Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager
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- #13
5. Type connect to server servername, and then press ENTER, where servername is the name of the domain controller that you want to assign the FSMO role to.
Apologies... I read this step wrong... I thought I had to seize the role from the old PDC... So I guess I'm confused as to how my new server is "seizing" the PDC role without actually contacting the existing PDC? I'll give it a shot...
Apologies... I read this step wrong... I thought I had to seize the role from the old PDC... So I guess I'm confused as to how my new server is "seizing" the PDC role without actually contacting the existing PDC? I'll give it a shot...
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Ok... I did as you requested, and IT WORKED! The first time you select seize PDC, it tries to transfer (for whatever reason...) and times out... Then I tried it again, and it "seized" them successfully!! Ok, so are there any other roles that I need to "seize"? You've been more than helpful... Thank you VERY much!
If it is your only DC and the dead DC held all of the roles previously then you want to seize the following:
Schema Master
Domain Naming Master
RID Master
PDC Emulator
Infrastructur Master
Glad you got your issue sorted out.
Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager
Schema Master
Domain Naming Master
RID Master
PDC Emulator
Infrastructur Master
Glad you got your issue sorted out.
Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager
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- #16
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