Removing root domain controller

[psiinc]

I have a W2K network with 2 domain controllers and a single member server. I want to remove the older domain controller being the root domain controller from the forest. Their is only the one domain within the one tree within the one forest. Can I simply run DCPROMO on the root domain controller and remove it even though I still have the newer and most recently added domain controller remaining and the member server. The root domain controller is too old and slow to really serve any purpose in this network.

 

[yizhar]

HI.

> Can I simply run DCPROMO on the root domain controller
Yes you can, but this is a safer roadmap:

* In addition to regular backups you're doing on each server, use NTBACKUP to backup the system state of each server to file, just in case...

* Run DCDIAG and NETDIAG on each server before and after the change. You get these utilities by installing the support tools from the W2K Server setup CDROM.

* Inspect Event Viewer before and after changes.

* On a server, do
START - HELP - CONTENTS
Active Directory - How To... - Manage Domain Controllers - Manage Single Master Operations.
Follow the instructions for transfering FSMO roles to the new server.

* Now run DCPROMO on the old server.

Bye




Yizhar Hurwitz

http://teachers.sivan.co.il/yizhar

 

[Seaspray0]

If this was the first domain controller for the forest or the domain it is in, you will certainly have FSMO roles located on that server. If you include the global catalog, there are 6 roles total. Roles like the schema master apply to the entire forest and is only located on one DC in the forest (default the first DC in the forest). Other roles apply to domains and will be on a single DC in each domain (default the first DC in each domain). The global catalog (default the first DC in the forest) is actually a FSMO role but is the only one that can be duplicated to any DC you wish (more than one instance of this role is allowed and actually benifical for WANs). If you fail to transfer these roles, you will not be able to properly maintain your enterprise or worse. It's best to transfer these roles but they can actually be seized in emergency conditions (i.e. complete failure of the DC they were located on with no chance of recovery to do a dissaster). If you sieze a role, you can't ever put the DC they were originally on back on the network, so please transfer them. Make sure you also transfer any other service functions to other computers like delegating the DNS zones to another DNS server in your domain. Make sure you have replacement services ready to go or already transfered to another server like DHCP, WINS, etc. Check the services like DHCP options to see if it will be handing out the correct DNS and WINS server when you drop the old DC.

Back up everything!

Run DCPROMO on the old DC.