Reintegrating a failed FSMO server into Active Directory

Hello everyone,

I have a Windows Server 2003 FSMO that failed approximately 30 days ago.

We were waiting on a replacement component to arrive.

This part has now arrived, and I'm curious as to what steps I need to take
to reintegrate this server back into our Active Directory.

The server was NOT removed from Active Directory.

Since January 27th, the domain has been running on a secondary domain
controller (Windows 2000), there have been quite a few changes (new
accounts, password changes, groups, etc).

Is the procedure to simply turn the repaired domain controller back on?
Will the 2 synchronize data?

I've never had to deal with a situation like this before, so I'm curious as
to whether the above steps will work.

Thanks so much!

--

Glen Miller
Kawartha Computing
*Remove the 1234 from my email address to reply directly*

Clean up remnants of the failed DC. See:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216498

Check the roles on the existing server and seize the roles it does not have.
See: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255504

I would consider making it a Global catalog also. See:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313994

Add the new DC as you would add any other DC to the domain once this is
done.

hth
DDS


"Glen Miller" <glen1234@kawarthacomputing.com> wrote in message
news:C93636AE-E3AB-4F5D-B2E0-5E99D1CC4C07@microsoft.com...
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have a Windows Server 2003 FSMO that failed approximately 30 days ago.
>
> We were waiting on a replacement component to arrive.
>
> This part has now arrived, and I'm curious as to what steps I need to take
> to reintegrate this server back into our Active Directory.
>
> The server was NOT removed from Active Directory.
>
> Since January 27th, the domain has been running on a secondary domain
> controller (Windows 2000), there have been quite a few changes (new
> accounts, password changes, groups, etc).
>
> Is the procedure to simply turn the repaired domain controller back on?
> Will the 2 synchronize data?
>
> I've never had to deal with a situation like this before, so I'm curious
> as to whether the above steps will work.
>
> Thanks so much!
>
> --
>
> Glen Miller
> Kawartha Computing
> *Remove the 1234 from my email address to reply directly*

Howdie!

Am 04.03.2010 20:25, schrieb Glen Miller:
> The server was NOT removed from Active Directory.
>
> Since January 27th, the domain has been running on a secondary domain
> controller (Windows 2000), there have been quite a few changes (new
> accounts, password changes, groups, etc).
>
> Is the procedure to simply turn the repaired domain controller back on?
> Will the 2 synchronize data?

Did you wipe the machine? Did you have to do anything to the OS in order
to get it booted? If not, you can simply turn the machine back on and
they will replicate happilty. I'd probably watch the event log and
repadmin closely for the first days but it shouldn't come up with issues.

If you re-built the machine or you needed to replay an image of any
kind, you'll probably not want to plug that machine back into the
network but wipe it completely and use the links Danny provided.

Cheers,
Florian

Florian,

Thanks for your reply (and the reply from Danny too!).

The machine simply required a replacement power supply (custom Dell). I
booted the machine and corrected some minor file system damage (re-mirrored
the drives), but the OS was not reinstalled or repaired in any way.

It's as if the machine just "disappeared" for 35 days.

I suspected that just turning it back on before the "tombstone" date would
allow it to replicate, but, given that I've never done this before, I wanted
to make sure.

--

Glen Miller
Kawartha Computing

"Florian Frommherz" <florian@LEAVETHISOUT.frickelsoft.net> wrote in message
news:uhW6gw9uKHA.5340@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Howdie!
>
> Am 04.03.2010 20:25, schrieb Glen Miller:
>> The server was NOT removed from Active Directory.
>>
>> Since January 27th, the domain has been running on a secondary domain
>> controller (Windows 2000), there have been quite a few changes (new
>> accounts, password changes, groups, etc).
>>
>> Is the procedure to simply turn the repaired domain controller back on?
>> Will the 2 synchronize data?
>
> Did you wipe the machine? Did you have to do anything to the OS in order
> to get it booted? If not, you can simply turn the machine back on and they
> will replicate happilty. I'd probably watch the event log and repadmin
> closely for the first days but it shouldn't come up with issues.
>
> If you re-built the machine or you needed to replay an image of any kind,
> you'll probably not want to plug that machine back into the network but
> wipe it completely and use the links Danny provided.
>
> Cheers,
> Florian
>

Hello Glen,

As Florian said if just the power supply failed, repair it and switch it
on. After some time check the event viewer for errors on the other DCs also
and run support tools "dcdiag /V /C /D /E /s:DCname> c:\dcdiag.txt", "netdiag"
and "repadmin /showrepl" without the quotes to check for errors. If not doen
youhave to isntall the support\tools\suptools.msi from the Windows server
2000/2003 installation disk.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm


> Florian,
>
> Thanks for your reply (and the reply from Danny too!).
>
> The machine simply required a replacement power supply (custom Dell).
> I booted the machine and corrected some minor file system damage
> (re-mirrored the drives), but the OS was not reinstalled or repaired
> in any way.
>
> It's as if the machine just "disappeared" for 35 days.
>
> I suspected that just turning it back on before the "tombstone" date
> would allow it to replicate, but, given that I've never done this
> before, I wanted to make sure.
>
> "Florian Frommherz" <florian@LEAVETHISOUT.frickelsoft.net> wrote in
> message news:uhW6gw9uKHA.5340@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
>> Howdie!
>>
>> Am 04.03.2010 20:25, schrieb Glen Miller:
>>
>>> The server was NOT removed from Active Directory.
>>>
>>> Since January 27th, the domain has been running on a secondary
>>> domain controller (Windows 2000), there have been quite a few
>>> changes (new accounts, password changes, groups, etc).
>>>
>>> Is the procedure to simply turn the repaired domain controller back
>>> on? Will the 2 synchronize data?
>>>
>> Did you wipe the machine? Did you have to do anything to the OS in
>> order to get it booted? If not, you can simply turn the machine back
>> on and they will replicate happilty. I'd probably watch the event log
>> and repadmin closely for the first days but it shouldn't come up with
>> issues.
>>
>> If you re-built the machine or you needed to replay an image of any
>> kind, you'll probably not want to plug that machine back into the
>> network but wipe it completely and use the links Danny provided.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Florian

If I understand everything, it has just been offline for 30 days. Once you
fire it back up replication should kick in and all should be fine. Unless
you changed the tombstone lifetime, which I highly doubt.

SO you are good to go.

--
Paul Bergson
MVP - Directory Services
MCITP - Enterprise Administrator
MCTS, MCT, MCSE, MCSA, MCP, Security +, BS CSci
2008, Vista, 2003, 2000 (Early Achiever), NT4
Microsoft's Thrive IT Pro of the Month - June 2009

http://www.pbbergs.com

Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewGroups. This
posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights.
"Glen Miller" <glen1234@kawarthacomputing.com> wrote in message
news:C93636AE-E3AB-4F5D-B2E0-5E99D1CC4C07@microsoft.com...
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have a Windows Server 2003 FSMO that failed approximately 30 days ago.
>
> We were waiting on a replacement component to arrive.
>
> This part has now arrived, and I'm curious as to what steps I need to take
> to reintegrate this server back into our Active Directory.
>
> The server was NOT removed from Active Directory.
>
> Since January 27th, the domain has been running on a secondary domain
> controller (Windows 2000), there have been quite a few changes (new
> accounts, password changes, groups, etc).
>
> Is the procedure to simply turn the repaired domain controller back on?
> Will the 2 synchronize data?
>
> I've never had to deal with a situation like this before, so I'm curious
as
> to whether the above steps will work.
>
> Thanks so much!
>
> --
>
> Glen Miller
> Kawartha Computing
> *Remove the 1234 from my email address to reply directly*
>

"Glen Miller" <glen1234@kawarthacomputing.com> wrote in message news:%23YodUJ%23uKHA.800@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Florian,
>
> Thanks for your reply (and the reply from Danny too!).
>
> The machine simply required a replacement power supply (custom Dell). I
> booted the machine and corrected some minor file system damage (re-mirrored
> the drives), but the OS was not reinstalled or repaired in any way.
>
> It's as if the machine just "disappeared" for 35 days.
>
> I suspected that just turning it back on before the "tombstone" date would
> allow it to replicate, but, given that I've never done this before, I wanted
> to make sure.
>
> --
>
> Glen Miller
> Kawartha Computing

Glen, you should be ok if under the tombstone. As Meinolf said, check the event logs on all DCs to make sure nothing else is amiss.

--
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.

Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum for collaboration benefit among responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your resolution.

Ace Fekay, MVP, MCT, MCITP EA, MCTS Windows 2008 & Exchange 2007, MCSE & MCSA 2003/2000, MCSA Messaging 2003
Microsoft Certified Trainer
Microsoft MVP - Directory Services

If you feel this is an urgent issue and require immediate assistance, please contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please check http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to post a thank you for all the advice that was supplied. As
most of you anticipated, the domain controller re-synched with the "backup"
almost immediately.

Oddly enough, the "backup" couldn't connect to the "primary" (I hate using
those words, but I'm from the NT era :) ), changes done on the "primary"
didn't reflect on the "backup".

I rebooted the "backup" and within seconds all the changes synch'd between
the two controllers. If anyone knows why this occurred, I'd love to
understand better.

A huge relief to say the least.

I suspect that I'll be replacing this old domain controller in the very near
future, I know now, if I need some help or advice, where to come.

Thanks again to all of you!

--

Glen Miller
Kawartha Computing
*Remove the 1234 from my email address to reply directly*

"Glen Miller" <glen1234@kawarthacomputing.com> wrote in message
news:C93636AE-E3AB-4F5D-B2E0-5E99D1CC4C07@microsoft.com...
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have a Windows Server 2003 FSMO that failed approximately 30 days ago.
>
> We were waiting on a replacement component to arrive.
>
> This part has now arrived, and I'm curious as to what steps I need to take
> to reintegrate this server back into our Active Directory.
>
> The server was NOT removed from Active Directory.
>
> Since January 27th, the domain has been running on a secondary domain
> controller (Windows 2000), there have been quite a few changes (new
> accounts, password changes, groups, etc).
>
> Is the procedure to simply turn the repaired domain controller back on?
> Will the 2 synchronize data?
>
> I've never had to deal with a situation like this before, so I'm curious
> as to whether the above steps will work.
>
> Thanks so much!
>
> --
>
> Glen Miller
> Kawartha Computing
> *Remove the 1234 from my email address to reply directly*

"Glen Miller" <glen1234@kawarthacomputing.com> wrote in message news:13FE2094-CD4D-418B-8409-F6D775A8508D@microsoft.com...
> Hi everyone,
>
> I just wanted to post a thank you for all the advice that was supplied. As
> most of you anticipated, the domain controller re-synched with the "backup"
> almost immediately.
>
> Oddly enough, the "backup" couldn't connect to the "primary" (I hate using
> those words, but I'm from the NT era :) ), changes done on the "primary"
> didn't reflect on the "backup".
>
> I rebooted the "backup" and within seconds all the changes synch'd between
> the two controllers. If anyone knows why this occurred, I'd love to
> understand better.
>
> A huge relief to say the least.
>
> I suspect that I'll be replacing this old domain controller in the very near
> future, I know now, if I need some help or advice, where to come.
>
> Thanks again to all of you!
>
> --

The reboot kicked it off by reinitializing all AD background services. You may have possibly got away with restarting the Netlogon service, but I don't think that would work. In Windows 2008, you can restart AD services.

Ace