DNS

Whats restoring the zone on restart?

Probably it's replicating with a clustered server. How many DNS servers do you have on your domain, and/or forest?

after running the Ntdsutil and removing the server entries on reboot i get this message.

The DNS server was unable to open zone _msdcs.portland.ccoffset.com in the Active Directory from the application directory partition ForestDnsZones.portland.ccoffset.com. This DNS server is configured to obtain and use information from the directory for this zone and is unable to load the zone without it. Check that the Active Directory is functioning properly and reload the zone. The event data is the error code.
.
I had gone into the DNS snap in manually deleted every entry that contains the deleted server name but it all comes back when I reboot still com

This zone is automatically created for service records, like ldap etc. Did you remove a domain from your forest? Are you trying to clean up records that were left behind?

Yes

If thats the case, and you demoted a DC, you might need to manually remove the records with the instructions below:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/230306

I've already performed that procedure

This is similar, but has a few extra steps:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216498

The best metadata removal thread is this one:

http://www.petri.co.il/delete_failed_dcs_from_ad.htm

You also have to remove these from AD sites and Services. Those are the DCs you replicate with. The thread above tells you how to remove DCs from DNS, FRS, and AD.

I keep getting this error when I run dcdiag. How do  I do I resolve it?

        Warning: CN=NTDS Settings\0ADEL:d64756b8-d94b-4add-b0ae-a9bd5b4d9bf3,CN
=W2K3-EXCHANGE\0ADEL:cf35b4d9-6fc0-43ae-a5d8-fd0eae3e454e,CN=Servers\0ADEL:20e21
6c7-04ff-428c-98c9-fb76cca96a05,CN=Portland\0ADEL:c4520924-a983-40ce-abc2-0fe006
1b1ae6,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=ccoffset,DC=local is the Infrastructure Upda
te Owner, but is deleted.

The Server that I removed Was an Exchange server

perform this test:

DCdiag /test:FSMOs

I think that's the command.

test not recognized

They say the memory is the second thing to go. I can't remember the first. Here is the proper command line.

DCdiag /test:Knowsofroleholders /v

any recommendations

Microsoft Windows [Version 5.2.3790]
(C) Copyright 1985-2003 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.CCOFFSET>DCdiag /test:Knowsofroleholders
 /v

Domain Controller Diagnosis

Performing initial setup:
   * Verifying that the local machine Branch1, is a DC.
   * Connecting to directory service on server Branch1.
   * Collecting site info.
   * Identifying all servers.
   * Identifying all NC cross-refs.
   * Found 1 DC(s). Testing 1 of them.
   Done gathering initial info.

Doing initial required tests

   Testing server: NYC\BRANCH1
      Starting test: Connectivity
         * Active Directory LDAP Services Check
         * Active Directory RPC Services Check
         ......................... BRANCH1 passed test Connectivity

Doing primary tests

   Testing server: NYC\BRANCH1
      Test omitted by user request: Replications
      Test omitted by user request: Topology
      Test omitted by user request: CutoffServers
      Test omitted by user request: NCSecDesc
      Test omitted by user request: NetLogons
      Test omitted by user request: Advertising
      Starting test: KnowsOfRoleHolders
         Role Schema Owner = CN=NTDS Settings,CN=BRANCH1,CN=Servers,CN=NYC,CN=Si
tes,CN=Configuration,DC=ccoffset,DC=local
         Role Domain Owner = CN=NTDS Settings,CN=BRANCH1,CN=Servers,CN=NYC,CN=Si
tes,CN=Configuration,DC=ccoffset,DC=local
         Role PDC Owner = CN=NTDS Settings,CN=BRANCH1,CN=Servers,CN=NYC,CN=Sites
,CN=Configuration,DC=ccoffset,DC=local
         Role Rid Owner = CN=NTDS Settings,CN=BRANCH1,CN=Servers,CN=NYC,CN=Sites
,CN=Configuration,DC=ccoffset,DC=local
         Role Infrastructure Update Owner = CN=NTDS Settings\0ADEL:d64756b8-d94b
-4add-b0ae-a9bd5b4d9bf3,CN=W2K3-EXCHANGE\0ADEL:cf35b4d9-6fc0-43ae-a5d8-fd0eae3e4
54e,CN=Servers\0ADEL:20e216c7-04ff-428c-98c9-fb76cca96a05,CN=Portland\0ADEL:c452
0924-a983-40ce-abc2-0fe0061b1ae6,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=ccoffset,DC=local
         Warning: CN=NTDS Settings\0ADEL:d64756b8-d94b-4add-b0ae-a9bd5b4d9bf3,CN
=W2K3-EXCHANGE\0ADEL:cf35b4d9-6fc0-43ae-a5d8-fd0eae3e454e,CN=Servers\0ADEL:20e21
6c7-04ff-428c-98c9-fb76cca96a05,CN=Portland\0ADEL:c4520924-a983-40ce-abc2-0fe006
1b1ae6,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=ccoffset,DC=local is the Infrastructure Upda
te Owner, but is deleted.
         ......................... BRANCH1 failed test KnowsOfRoleHolders
      Test omitted by user request: RidManager
      Test omitted by user request: MachineAccount
      Test omitted by user request: Services
      Test omitted by user request: OutboundSecureChannels
      Test omitted by user request: ObjectsReplicated
      Test omitted by user request: frssysvol
      Test omitted by user request: frsevent
      Test omitted by user request: kccevent
      Test omitted by user request: systemlog
      Test omitted by user request: VerifyReplicas
      Test omitted by user request: VerifyReferences
      Test omitted by user request: VerifyEnterpriseReferences
      Test omitted by user request: CheckSecurityError

   Running partition tests on : ForestDnsZones
      Test omitted by user request: CrossRefValidation
      Test omitted by user request: CheckSDRefDom

   Running partition tests on : DomainDnsZones
      Test omitted by user request: CrossRefValidation
      Test omitted by user request: CheckSDRefDom

   Running partition tests on : Schema
      Test omitted by user request: CrossRefValidation
      Test omitted by user request: CheckSDRefDom

   Running partition tests on : Configuration
      Test omitted by user request: CrossRefValidation
      Test omitted by user request: CheckSDRefDom

   Running partition tests on : ccoffset
      Test omitted by user request: CrossRefValidation
      Test omitted by user request: CheckSDRefDom

   Running enterprise tests on : ccoffset.local
      Test omitted by user request: Intersite
      Test omitted by user request: FsmoCheck
      Test omitted by user request: DNS
      Test omitted by user request: DNS

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.CCOFFSET>

Thanks Chief IT. I'll give it a go tomorrow.

     Starting test: KnowsOfRoleHolders
         Warning: CN=NTDS Settings\0ADEL:d64756b8-d94b-4add-b0ae-a9bd5b4d9bf3,CN
=W2K3-EXCHANGE\0ADEL:cf35b4d9-6fc0-43ae-a5d8-fd0eae3e454e,CN=Servers\0ADEL:20e21
6c7-04ff-428c-98c9-fb76cca96a05,CN=Portland\0ADEL:c4520924-a983-40ce-abc2-0fe006
1b1ae6,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=ccoffset,DC=local is the Infrastructure Upda
te Owner, but is deleted.

is KnowsOfRoleHolders a role?

it worked but I have another failed test

  Starting test: kccevent
         An Warning Event occured.  EventID: 0x8000072D
            Time Generated: 04/25/2011   13:09:06
            (Event String could not be retrieved)
         ......................... BRANCH1 failed test kccevent

What event shows in event viewer for this?