Server 2003 ASR Recovery Fails - Single DC

[goombawaho]

Hi. I'm out of my element here, but here's the situation. Total failure of RAID5 array killed of the company's only Windows 2003 server. I replaced all the hard drives and recreated the array using larger hard drives and a larger logical drive size.

Tried to restore with the only ASR available (12/7/2008). It ran until nearly complete and then it crapped out with the following error:
"recovery application ntbackup recover /1 /sif path c:\windows\repair\asr.sif returned an error code 0x2. Since this indicates an unrecoverable error, ASR cannot continue on this machine".

The error in the event viewer corresponding to this ASR recovery failure is "DSContents in the backup copy are out of date. Try restoring with a more recent copy".

I even tried another ASR after setting the BIOS clock back to December 2008.

Unable to get past this error. The only thing I can do is log in to Active Directory Restore Mode - regular mode gives an error about SAM. Tried restoring the System State from another backup (non-ASR) from August 2009 and it didn't work.

Is there anything I can do to fix the ASR restore and make it work or fix the Active Directory after the failure?

 

[Roadki11]

I think you are hosed(my professional opinion), even if you get it restored its so old none of the domain pc's or other domain servers will be trusted by the domain. You will have to remove all machines from the domain and readd them anyway you look at it. Might as well just build a new domain and start over.

RoadKi11

"This apparent fear reaction is typical, rather than try to solve technical problems technically, policy solutions are often chosen." - Fred Cohen

 

[goombawaho]

The problem is that nobody knows anything about the server setup, installed programs etc. It's a real IT black hole. I feel like I parachuted into a large field and don't have any idea which way to walk to get to the edge of the field.

Strategies/ideas appreciated, but I do believe you are correct: I are in trouble.

 

[scanjam]

when you say only one windows 2003 - im assuming you mean the only domain controller... ??? If there are other domain controllers youll be in luck... (ntdsutil and stealing the FSMO roles etc)

this may help with an explanation though no solution unfortunately....

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=216993

 

[goombawaho]

Right - one server and it's the DC. I'm going to call in a professional.

 

[scanjam]

soudns painful! how many PC's / users? It wasnt SBS was it? Are you / were you running exchange?

 

[goombawaho]

Just about 7 users, no exchange involved, straight Server 2003 (not SBS). I think it's time to reload from scratch except nobody has any documentation on how/why things were set up for this company. That makes it really ugly to start from nothing.

 

[scanjam]

still it could be much worse

i have been through the same pain before involving SBS2003, failed AD, exchange 2003 and a 40GB database, 30+ users, all their PC's and user accounts - complete nightmare..

1 domain controller & no backups = disaster waiting to happen!!

Good luck mate!!

 

[goombawaho]

Let me ask this. Is there a way to remove the AD on this server and then reinstall it so that I can at least keep the installed programs, IP addresses, DNS, DHCP, settings, etc. in tact??

 

[pagy]

I thought the server was dead, completely foobar raid array??

So does the server boot and load Windows then?

Paul
VCP4

https://www.mcpvirtualbusinesscard.com/VBCServer/PaulP/profile

RFC 2795 - The Infinite Monkey Protocol Suite (IMPS)

http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc2795.html

Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week

 

[pagy]

Ah, hang on. When you are running the ASR you have done the initial bit and are now in Windows and then it's doing the ntbackup restore bit and that's when you get the error?? Is that right??

How old is the ASR Backup??

What state is the server in now then?? It loads into Windows but AD won't load??

Paul
VCP4

https://www.mcpvirtualbusinesscard.com/VBCServer/PaulP/profile

RFC 2795 - The Infinite Monkey Protocol Suite (IMPS)

http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc2795.html

Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week

 

[goombawaho]

Server down to bare metal - all new hard drives. New Array & Logical drive created.

Put in the Server 2003 cd, booted up server, hit F2 for ASR (dated December/2008). Pointed to the BKF file on an external hard drive and ASR gets near the end and says: "recovery application ntbackup recover /1 /sif path c:\windows\repair\asr.sif returned an error code 0x2. Since this indicates an unrecoverable error, ASR cannot continue on this machine".

Restarted server and it boots up except it says this: "Security Accounts Manager initialization failed because of the following error: Directory Service cannot start. Error Status: 0xc00002e1. Please click OK to shutdown this system and reboot into Directory Services Restore Mode, check the event log for more detailed information."

The only thing I can do is log in in Active Directory Recovery Mode. Tried restoring System State from another, more recent backup, but it said it was an incomplete restore.

 

[pagy]

oh jeez.... I think I'm gonna have to agree with Roadki11 on this.

How many backups do you have? You said a newer back said something about being incomplete. You've probably already done this but I would just try restores with whatever backup files you can find and hope one of them works....

Paul
VCP4

https://www.mcpvirtualbusinesscard.com/VBCServer/PaulP/profile

RFC 2795 - The Infinite Monkey Protocol Suite (IMPS)

http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc2795.html

Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week

 

[goombawaho]

I think we're going to just reload from scratch today. It's basically a total disaster for this company. Most home computer users run their IT better than this place. Pathetic, but it's a money-maker for us.

 

[goombawaho]

Yep - just had to reload. Now there's all kinds of other questions that need to be answered, but that's the way it goes.