Server 2003 Crash need to restore AD

[FSCtek]

I have a client with a windows 2003 server, with a 6 disk raid 5 array (Dell Poweredge 1800).

3 of the six disks failed suddenly due to a firmware issue. The windows OS was no longer accessible.
I was forced to recreate the Raid strip container in the raid bios in order to get the drives online to do the firmware update.
I then Force the Drives on line and did the Firmware update according to Dells Small Business Support Groups Policies.
After the logical raid 5 rebuild, I can get to the boot.ini menu of the windows server, however when the server begins to load it seems OK until it loads the gui, then it immediately reboots.
I did LKGC which didn't help.
I can't get into safe mode (immediately reboots)
I can't log into recovery console (immediately reboots)
I boot off the server installation disk and run the repair utility and the admin password does not work.
So I performed a Windows Repair.

Now I can boot the server normally but when I get to the login screen I immediately get the following error.

“LSASS.EXE - System Error, security accounts manager initialization failed because of the following error: Directory Services cannot start. Error status 0xc00002e1.”

So I restarted the server in Directory Services Mode and I find that the AD is corrupted.
I followed all the steps in the following article

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/258062/en-us

I attempted to use Ntdsutils as described in the above KB article and found that I can not recover or repair the NTDS.dit database.

I consistently get a jet_errDatabaseCorrupt error.


So here is where I need help.

I have attempted to do a system state restore from tape back up with Veritas Backup Exec. It seems that the previous tech has disabled Volume Shadow Services in Backup Exec since September 06 (Shortly after he was fired) so no System State information has been getting backed up since.

However I do have complete backups of the C: and D: drive data as of 03/01/07
But my most recent System state backup is from 09/24/06

I have been advices from Veritas Extended Support to restore both the System State and C: drive from 09/24/06.
I believe I maybe better off restoring only the system state and not the C: Drive.

I’d prefer to get the AD repaired with out a restore, if possible.
Does server keep a backup of the NTDS.dit database and could I simple replace it?
Do I have any other options or is this a system state restore the best option?
What problems can I expect if the system state and the other data are not synchronized?
What else do I need to know?

 

[technome]

If you have 2003 with SP1, your lucky, your AD will tombstone 3/24/07. You will need to restore the system state from 9/24/06. If you have a second DC, which it sounds like you do not, it would create more issues but your database would also reside there.
After you restore the system state, you may need to reinstall programs or program modifications made since 9/24/07, along with any groups/users/file permissions etc made since that date.

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...ocs/en-us/ntbackup_system_state.mspx?mfr=true

For safety, on your next FSMO DC setup, use raid 1 for the OS and program installs, raid 5 for data, mucho safer than a raid 5 for the OS. I have one AD setup (out of many) with raid 5 holding the Windows OS and data along with SQL. Like you I lost it due to a firmware glitch, (but on the drives), never will I setup an AD DC holding any roles (and SQL) on a raid 5 array again, it is just too damn dangerous.

........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[paella33]

If you have 2003 with SP1, your lucky, your AD will tombstone 3/24/07."

But thats only on a clean SP1 install, not on an upgrade IIRC.

 

[FSCtek]

I thought Tombstone life was 60 days?

 

[djtech2k]

Tombstone lifetime is set to 60 days by default if your first DC was built on 2000 or 2003. If your first DC was built on 2003 SP1, then your tombstone lifetime is set to 180 days natively.