Windows 2000 Domain PDC Removed - Domain issues!

[Kyleuk]

Hi All,

I have a problem with one of our domains. We have a AD Domain which initially had one Domain Controller (Windows 2000, AD & DNS) Later on a 2003 Domain controller was added which is the exchange server.

Unfortunatly someone removed the initial Windows 2000 Server which was the PDC Emulator and had all the FSMO Roles. Some settings were also changed on this.

The initial Windows 2000 server is now back in place, but it does not seem to be working properly as part of the domain.

There are all sorts of errors on each servers event logs complaining of being unable to access the group policy etc. And no one is able to access exchange.

Does anyone have any ideas how we can make the initial server work properly back in its role as the FSMO Master etc?

Or is it easier to make the server 2003 perform all of this, and install DNS on the 2003 Server.

We need to get the domain working again.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[markdmac]

For starters you need to determine what each server thinks are the holders of the FSMO roles.

Were the roles seized to the new server before the removal of the 2000 DC?

Are both machines Global Catalog? Exchange will shut down if it can not contact a GC.

You can take a look here for how to seize FSMO roles.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255504

This should however be a last resort. Better to try and gracefully transfer them.

You may find it necessary to PROPERLY remove the 2000 DC from the domain and bring it back in with a fresh DCPROMO depending on whether or not you can get AD replicating between the servers. If you do not already have DNS running on the 2003 server then that would certainly explain a lot of your problems.



I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark