Demoting W2K DC problem

[tadr]

Scenerio..Had a 2 server WinNT 4.0 domain. The PDC was failing, but still operational (sr1). The other was W2K member server (sr2). The objective was to remove the failing server and relocate all resources to the W2K server (sr2). I installed a temp WinNT4.0 BDC (sr3), promoted it as the PDC, upgraded to W2K as the first DC within AD. During this process I installed DHCP,DNS on (sr2), then I ran DCPromo to promote it to a DC. Next relocated all FSMO roles to (sr2). I tested FSMO transfers with "replmon" and shows all FSMO's on (sr2).

(sr1) is now decommisioned and all user authenicate without any issues. Although when the temp (sr3) server is offline user authenication to the domain is very slow.
Even (sr2) logon is very slow when (sr3) is off line.

I get an error when I try and run DCPromo to demote the temp server. Something about not able to find the domain control of the domain.

I'm suspecting that DNS has incorrect Resource Records concerning the name of the domain controller, but not certain.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[ProfFate]

With AD you should always start by looking at DNS. Here are some questions you need to answer.

Which of these servers has DNS installed, both or just Sr2?

Where are the clients pointing for their DSN?

Is this a Standard Primary DNS server or is it AD Integrated?

What DNS server is Sr3 pointing at?

Is this AD in Mixed Mode or Native Mode?

What kind of clients are you running Win9x/WinNT/Win2k?


MikeL

 

[tadr]

DNS is installed on SR2,as AD Integrated. I have DHCP options set to point all clients to that server (SR2) for their primary DNS server. All clients are WinXP Pro.
SR3's DNS primary is pointing to SR2. AD is Mixed Mode.

Thanks for the response.

 

[ProfFate]

Did you also move your Global Catalog Server to Sr2?

When you first upgraded Sr3, did you install DNS as part of the upgrade, or was it pointing to Sr2 at the time?

From Sr3 can you do a NSLOOKUP of Sr2?

MikeL

 

[GlenJohnson]

Have you tried going to AD integrated, install dns on all w2k servers and let them replicate? Also, you haven't mentioned if there is anything in your logs showing errors, either on the server or on the clients. [showing lack of xp knowledge here] I'm assuming xp has event viewers like w2k pro and server.

Glen A. Johnson
Johnson Computer Consulting

http://www.johnsoncomputers.us

"The best fire does not flare up the soonest."
George Eliot (1819-1880); Englist novelist.

Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at FAQ219-2884

 

[tadr]

DNS was not installed on SR3, only SR2. I also relocated the GC server to SR2.

Discovered that if I remove the host record, from DNS, for server SR2, users can't authenticate. When I add the host record back, users authenticate fine.

I suspect FSMO roles might need to be redefined. Still trying to determine what the consequences are of seizing roles back to SR3 (the temp) server, then trying to transfer them back to SR2 (the permanent) server.