Server refuses to forget the past Domain Name

[shlomos]

I am setting up DELL PowerEdge 2600. Not satisfied with the setup of the server I created the first time, I decided to start over. I booted with Win2003 CD and re-formatted the entire C drive completely.

When I started a new server, I was surprised to see 2 lines of "Windows server 2003" at the boot time. Then, when I tried to promote the server to domain name controler, it refused to take the domain name I wanted, saying it was already used. The domain name I wanted to use is the same as the one I used in the original setup. But since I reformatted C drive completely, didn't I wipe out everything? How is it possible for the server to remember what I did before I reformatted?

How can I erase everything I did earlier and start over from scratch?

Thank you.

 

[longlivegoku]

I hope I am understanding you right. It sounds like it could be a DNS issue. We have seen where we can't name computers names that we know don't exist on our network but this are still in DNS. All you have to do is go into DNS and delete the host record and pointer to clear it up.

Ed

 

[shlomos]

Thank you for a prompt reply, longlivegoku.

No, my question is not about DNS or about how to change computer name. I just want to completely wipe out the server's HD and start from scratch. The normal formatting procedure at the time of Windows 2003 installation does not seem to erase everything because it remembers the domain name I used earlier.

The reason why I want to do this is to make sure that the old server setup has no effect whatsoever on the new server setup.

Thank you.

 

[longlivegoku]

During the Windows 2003 installation you should be able to delete and recreate the hard drive partition. If you are using a RAID configuration you can go into the RAID config during POST and initialize the drives to accomplish basically the same thing. Either one will clear the hard drives and let you start from scratch.

Ed

 

[shlomos]

longlivegoku

My quetion is: Why does the server remember the past domain name EVEN AFTER I deleted the partition COMPLETELY and FORMAT the C drive entirely DURING THE INSTALLATION?

I expected this would clear the drive, but it did not. That is why I am asking this question.

I am not using RAID.

Hope I made myself clear. Thank you.

 

[longlivegoku]

Where is it remembering the domain name? During the install? After the install in Windows?

 

[shlomos]

longlivegoku,

After finishing the reinstallation, I wanted to promote the server to domain controller. When I entered a domain name, Windows refused to accept the name, saying it was alrady used and gave a suggested name which was the name I wanted followed by "0".

So, I am inclined to believe that Windows Server keeps the old name somewhere during the partitioning and formatting of the drive. I have done Windows (not server) installation a lot, and have never seen anything like this.

Where does it keep such data? I don't know. But isn't there a way to really clear the drive and anywhere else inside the box?

Another mysterious indication was that the boot.ini has 2 lines of "Windows Server 2003" as if this were a dual OS machine.

When I formatted the drive, I did not choose a "quick format": formatting this 36GB HD took about 10 minutes.

I was totally buffled by this strange behavior. I hope someone can tell me what was going on.

Thank you.

 

[PJONJACK]

You need to wipe the disk. The info is held in the NTFS partition 'signature'. To get rid of everything on the disk you can use a commercial product like Norton or find a shareware disk wiper like 'NukeIT'. This is a common 'problem' around since NT.

 

[shlomos]

Thank you, PJONJACK, for your response.

I will try Norton program.

 

[knowledgeisnetworkin]

Is this the only server? is this a stand alone process. or are you promoting the server to an already existing domain?

 

[shlomos]

knowledgeisnetworkin,

This is the only server and is not connected to any network. The network cable is unplugged.

 

[technome]

During the install delete EVERY partition, create two partitions. After formatting at least one of them, restart the machine and the 2003 install, now delete all partition again and create the partition which you want, allow the install to complete.

 

[shlomos]

technome,

That's interesting, but can you tell me what is going on?

 

[technome]

Well, not sure, but, there were times where files written to the disk, with same name of files which were on the disk before formatting would resurrect (DOS). This could happen even with the partition deleted, as long as the partition was recreated the same size, on the exact same place on the disk.

According to MS docs the files are killed, not deleted, with quick format or format. I have seen numerous setting come back to life on Windows 200x reinstalls, even when the partition is deleted, as long as it is created again with exact same size; somehow files are not being wiped properly. If I kill a DC, I always follow the procedure I stated previously, and never have had the problem again. When this happened to me, I found nothing on searches.

 

[02091963]

1. Maybe you have more than 1 drive and you're formatting the wrong drive. This is because of the presence 2 Windows server 2003 in boot.ini. If you have only 1 drive, maybe you have 2 partition and again you are formatting the wrong partition.

2. You can't promote the server to AD when the server is not connected to a hub or at least you install MS loopback adapter

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/Q236/8/69.ASP&NoWebContent=1

3. Check whether there's a existing PC with workgroupname/computername the same as your domain name.

 

[02091963]

Lastly, use another harddisk, maybe an IDE HDD for testing and see what happens.

 

[shlomos]

technome, 02091963

Thank you for your suggestions. I went to the manufacturer's site (Hitachi) and found the program to do the low-level formatting. That did it.