PDC Emulator

[jshepherd]

Like many networks, we started with just one AD server (a PDC Emulator I guess), but as time went on, we’ve added a couple of others to provide some resilience. However, we recently decommissioned our first ever domain controller (via the dcpromo route) and have re-built the unit with a different role. The other two AD servers seem to be working perfectly, but I’m starting to notice Win32 time errors in the logs of other servers saying they can’t find the old server dns name – obviously because it no longer exists. I can’t find any documentation of how to check which server is now the PDC Emulator to see if one of the other servers has taken on the role. I also can’t find out how to redirect or reconfigure a server as the primary PDC Emulator or timeserver. Anyone know much about this?

John

 

[kmkeshav]

The first domain controller in a domain will always hold the 5 FSMO roles (Schema Master, Domain naming master, Infrastructure Master, Relative ID (RID) Master, PDC Emulator). If you ever have to demote or remove this server from the network/domain, these roles have to be transfered properly to one of the other domain controllers. If for some reasons, you have not tranfered these roles (and the server never come up again), you can seize these roles to an existing domain controller. These URLs will give you an idea on this:

How to view and transfer FSMO roles (Windows 2000):

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;255690

How to view and transfer FSMO roles (Windows Server 2003):

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=324801

Using Ntdsutil.exe to transfer or seize FSMO roles to a domain controller:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255504

-Keshav

 

[jshepherd]

Thank you very much. I think that's exactly what I needed.

Regards,

John