rmcan
asked on
server 2003 dc failed
I have a domain controller that crashed and burned before I could replace the server. Everything was running on this server with the exception of exchange and files. I have no backups of AD, DNS, FSMO’s etc. Is this something I can recover from or do I need to redo the entire network.
exx1976
Do you have another domain controller?
crash as in hard drive failed, raid broke? What happened?
If you have no backups and this was your only DC then yes a complete rebuild will be required.
If you have no Active Directory then Exchange is going to be useless as well. You can export the data from your EDB file using a 3rd party tool like Kernel EDB: http://www.kerneldatarecovery.com/buy-edb-email-recovery.html
If you have no Active Directory then Exchange is going to be useless as well. You can export the data from your EDB file using a 3rd party tool like Kernel EDB: http://www.kerneldatarecovery.com/buy-edb-email-recovery.html
How, exactly did it "crash and burn"
If you can still access the drive you may be able to use this:
http://utools.com/UMove.asp
If you can still access the drive you may be able to use this:
http://utools.com/UMove.asp
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Can't say I have ever used the RSG on a server that no longer has any Active Directory. Most of the exchange services will fail to start without AD.
Yeah, I'm with demazter on this one. No AD = no exchange, no question.
OP - you're not too quick to respond, but the short answer is that if you had no other domain controllers, AND no backup, the best solution is to start polishing your resume....
OP - you're not too quick to respond, but the short answer is that if you had no other domain controllers, AND no backup, the best solution is to start polishing your resume....
To clarify,
If you rebuild the domain with the same domain name and the exchange server with the same server name, you should be able to do it (I had a client with poor backup process that had their SBS server fail and I was able to pull things out with the recovery storage group once I rebuilt the domain. As I recall, the key was that I had to name the domain and Exchange server the same as they were in the original domain.
If you rebuild the domain with the same domain name and the exchange server with the same server name, you should be able to do it (I had a client with poor backup process that had their SBS server fail and I was able to pull things out with the recovery storage group once I rebuilt the domain. As I recall, the key was that I had to name the domain and Exchange server the same as they were in the original domain.
Interesting.... I would have to think that SIDs would cause a problem there, no?
Leew is absolutely right.
If you rebuild with the same name and domain name then you will be able to do it.
If you rebuild with the same name and domain name then you will be able to do it.
Could one of you share with the rest of the class how this is possible?
If you rebuilt the Domain with the exact same domain name, the exact same servername and the exact same Exchange Organisation name then it simply mounts.
If either of the 3 attributes are different it will not work.
Which if course if you dnt know what they are/were could cause a problem. And since you don't have any AD anymore, the first 2 might not be a problem but the 3rd could be.
This is one of the reasons I don't waste my time trying it.
With SBS it's all pretty standard install and notmany deviate from this but with a standard Exchange install this may not be the case.
This is one if the reasons why BACKUPS and DOCUMENTATION are the 2 MOST important parts of ANY network no matter how large or small.
If either of the 3 attributes are different it will not work.
Which if course if you dnt know what they are/were could cause a problem. And since you don't have any AD anymore, the first 2 might not be a problem but the 3rd could be.
This is one of the reasons I don't waste my time trying it.
With SBS it's all pretty standard install and notmany deviate from this but with a standard Exchange install this may not be the case.
This is one if the reasons why BACKUPS and DOCUMENTATION are the 2 MOST important parts of ANY network no matter how large or small.
Agreed.
ASKER
This was a situation I was called into and not a company I previously managed which is the reason there are no backups. The server to my surprise was not raid but a single scsi hard drive that died and could not be read. I have sent the hard drive out to see if it can be recovered. I am looking at the umove tool and I do have the server and domain name.
Thank you all for the helpful posts and I will respond back to let you know if I am successful.
Thank you all for the helpful posts and I will respond back to let you know if I am successful.
ASKER
the umove tool worked great after recovering the data from the dead HD. thank you for your help