Question

URGENT HELP!!! AD Failure!!!

Asked by: infotrader

Man!!!  I've been fighting with this problem for a WHOLE DAY!!!  I am getting Error status 0xc00002e1 on one of my DC (also my Exchange server).  After reading and following the instructions in this article article: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;258062 for the entire day, I've finally decided to give up.

I cannot even perform the "dcpromo /forceremoval" per their instruction, because...  you guess it... you cannot perform dcpromo in "safe mode" or "directory restore mode"...  Of course, you cannot get into the normal mode until you either fix the problem or remove AD!!!!

Anyway, my question is this...  I DO NOT have a backup of my A/D, but I DO have, however, a working Domain Controller.  Is there a way for me to restore my configuration on my broken DC FROM the good one?

Thanks!!

- Info

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Asked On
2004-09-08 at 17:07:48ID21123917
Tags

dcpromo

,

0xc00002e1

,

mode

Topic

Windows 2003 Server

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: dgroscostPosted on 2004-09-08 at 19:49:48ID: 12012711

Have you tried doing an authoritative restore from the working domain controller?

 

by: HousenetPosted on 2004-09-08 at 20:22:26ID: 12012836

-No backup.....Ouch!
-Following the article's steps, what is your estimation of the problem source? missing files, corruption?

 

by: infotraderPosted on 2004-09-08 at 20:30:08ID: 12012867

I know...  I should "rephrase"...  I do not have the backup of AD, but have maintain backups of all my data files... Which covers the worst case scenario... which is what I might have to face.. reinstall the AD.

Good thing is, I only have 3 active users... Bad thing is, I've got TONS of services (http, sharepoint, sql, exchange, etc.)... SO I am trying to avoid reinstall if possible.

No I have not tried doing an authoritative restore from the working DC... Can someone point me to the right direction as to how to do that?  Thanks a great bunch, you guys!!!

- Info

 

by: HousenetPosted on 2004-09-09 at 08:47:50ID: 12017971

-I dont understand that comment. "authoritative restore from the working domain controller" It does make any sence to me. You already said you did not backup the system state.
-What about a repair installation of windows?
-You might as well go for something like this because it does not look good at all.

*In the future use at the very least Ntbackup to backup windows, program files and the system state at least once after it is installed.

 

by: dgroscostPosted on 2004-09-09 at 09:14:17ID: 12018326

Sorry.

Using NTDSUTIL,

On the working DC, seize the roles of the bad DC.
Remove the old DC.

Then, rebuild and promote a new DC.

 

by: infotraderPosted on 2004-09-09 at 09:21:12ID: 12018395

Thanks!!  I'll keep that in mind.  I thought there was a way to "reload" the Active Directory portion of system state from the good DC.  Unfortunately, after playing with "exporting" the NTDS quite a bit, I've finally gave up and posted the question here.

Believe it or not, I am actually benefitting a lot from our exchange of posts here.  I tried to think "outside of box" after the dgroscost's comment and re-searched google using a different terms (restore "active directory" from another DC), and found a pretty good documentation regarding how to do authoritative, recovery through reinstall, and non-authoritative restore.

One of my biggest problems originally was that I could not remove the Exchange box out of AD cleanly, since it cannot connect to the AD and was getting a lot of "access denied"'s.  I finally figure out how to use netdom and navigate around, including switching user credentials (Apparently, AD doesn't like it when my local Administrator and Domain Administrator has different passwords, causing invalid credentials, I am guessing....).  

To make the story short, I've finally decided to backup my Exchange database, reinstall windows (I am feeling better now, because it is compeletely removed from AD), and reload everything back.

Here's the article (very informative, actually) if you guys are interested:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/technologies/activedirectory/support/adrecov.mspx

Thanks anyway.  I am going to give split the points to dgroscost for helping me thinking outside of the box, and Housenet for effort.

- Info

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