"Dirty" SBS2k3 domain server - how do perform a cl

[awarberg1]

Hi guys,

I administer a small sbs2k3-windows xp network.

We have one sbs2k3 domain server with exchange 2k3 and one windows 2003 stan

dard server, which is just a member of the domain (NOT member domain control

ler, yet anyway).

The SBS2k3 machine was initially sbs2000 but was upgraded a few months ago.

Normally I don't upgrade OS's since certain things tend to corrupt as was th

e case with our sbs2000 to 2k3 upgrade.

At this moment, everything works reasonably well but I would like to have th

e option to reinstall the domain controller in case something goes wrong.

How can I do this?

I know that reinstalling the server and then restoring a system state backup

would not change anything as system state backups include the registry, whi

ch is probably the most corrupted part of the OS after an upgrade, thus I wo

uldn't gain anything.

I cannot transfer the domain controller roles to our windows 2003 standard s

erver, as a sbs2k3 installation must be the only domain controller in any ne

twork, thus I would not be able to transfer the roles back, as I see it.

Is there anything else I can do to do a clean reinstall of our dirty sbs2k3

installation?

Of course I could recreate AD and group policies etc (since it is a small ne

twork), but this could easily become a very time consuming - as well as high

ly error prone - task for me to do.

I hope you can help me.

Best regards

Andreas

[pesko]

Hi Andreas

I will purpose that You install a second DC in you domain, after the hole domain has been replicated to the new domain controller. Move all the domain services to the new controller. And reinstall you old domain controller rejoin it to you old domain.

Before doing any thing you may want to take a look at this Microsoft KB-articles - yes know they are for w2k but it should work on W2K3 to.

KB260371 Troubleshooting Common Active Directory Issues in Windows 2000

KB241505 SRV Records Missing After Implementing Active Directory and Domain Name System

KB238369 How to Promote and Demote Domain Controllers in Windows 2000

KB257338 Troubleshooting Missing Sysvol and Netlogon Shares on Windows 2000 Domain Controllers

KB237675 Setting Up the Domain Name System for Active Directory

KB240362 Directory Services Does Not Start If Ntds.dit File Is Missing

Held og lykke (Danish)

-Peter

[arkady187]

Pesko has a great idea. If you have a time during the day to actually take the domain controller offline and not have it affect anyone, (Which is the case in my sbs2k3 server). You can back up the system state and reinstall sbs2k3 and then do an authoritative restore to the machine using the directory services restore mode. I would definitely do some research about sbs before planning this though.

[Marsden]

Great ideas but they won't work with SBS2003. There can be no backup Domain controllers in an SBS2003 Domain. Member servers yes, BDCs no.

Is it possible to mount an offline Exchange 2000 Information Store (previous backup) into Exch 2003/SBS 2003?

Yes, this is possible. Assuming the databases are in a "clean shutdown" state, they should mount when moving them into the Exchange 2003 Mdbdata folder. Just bring over the 4 database files and not the log files, etc.

[awarberg1]

Yes, the major hindrance is that sbs2k3 must the the only DC in a domain.

Furthermore it wouldn't be possible to let another w2k3 machine be DC, as that would require exch2k3 to be installed on that machine - which is not possible without purchasing a (quite expensive) exchange server, as the one included in the sbs package will only install on a sbs2k3 DC.

@Arkady

As I wrote initially, backing up and restoring system state would include the entire registry, which is corrupted after the upgrade I made so this would gain me nothing.

I'm aware that the sid's in the registry must be backed up and restored however.

Any other ideas on how to crack this nut?

Best regards

Andreas

[arkady187]

Well, not to be negative, but according to what I've read and learned on this there is no way to restore AD without the registry (which of course you already know) Since like you said is tied in with the system state along with a couple others. Rebuilding the networks a pain but atleast the wizards make it go by pretty fast. Although this thread makes me wanna find a way so I'm gonna keep looking through our books here and the web. Stupid registry

[JustSomeGuy]

It's not true that you can't have other DC's in an SBS domain. I've done it before myself. The only limitation is that the SBS machine must be a DC, it must be the first DC in the domain and there can only be one SBS DC in the domain. You can have another DC as long as it's running 2003 Standard or Enterprise. Also, the SBS domain cannot trust any other domains.