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Can I demote a Server 2003 in DSRM, retart the server as a stand alone, then promote it back to a DC and use System State Restore to recover original domain

We are running a Server 2003 Domain and a power outage today tested the UPS and it failed. Hence the AD was corrupted. The AD does not want to be repaired with esentutil or ntdsutil. I have tried to repair it to a state where I can get the Server to boot again, then I could run the Backup Exec and so a system state restore to repair it. The MS KB258062 describes the problem, although I dont have the Event Messages that are suggsted there.

My question is, can I demote the Server in DSRM, retart the server as a stand alone server, then promote it back to a DC, then perform a system state restore to bring the original domain back again.? It is the only DC on the Domain.

Darius Ghassem

First thing this is why it is so important to have more the one DC even if the other DC is a virtual machine or a PC you would have at least been saved.

Here are the instructions on restoring.

http://www.petri.co.il/restore-windows-server-2003-active-directory.htm

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782127(WS.10).aspx

If the DC is dead then you should run dcpromo /forceremoval to remove AD from the failed server

Miguel Angel Perez Muñoz

I suppose that is few users. Maybe better is erase all and recreate domain.

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Sigurdur Haraldsson

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kevinjeremy

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I might add that this server was setup by a previous consultant, who is no longer in the business ???and no disc's etc were left on site and no one else .. you probably know the story.

My issue now is that the backup was done with Symantec Backup Exec 11d and when in DSRM, I dont have any services running and Backup Exec wont run to recover files. I am looking for a way to recover the System State backup so that it can be restored in DSRM. Can you be of any help here?

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kevinjeremy

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kevinjeremy

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The solution from sighar was a good start to where I needed to go.
The final solution being in my own comments, was that I performed further research myself to gain a resolution to the problem.