problem: can't connect when attempting a system state retore

[jblewis]

I have one (of three) Win2k3 Domain Controllers that is reporting errors and failing AD replications. So I am attempting to do a non-authoritative restore of the system state backup.

I'm running Veritas Backup Exec 9.0 4454 on a different machine. When I have the DC booted in Directory Service Restore mode, I can not get Backup Exec to connect to the server.

The agent is running on the DC as LocalSystem (as it always does).
for the sake of this discussion the restore mode login is "Dave"
for the Backup exec logon account to connect to the DC, I have tried the following with out success.
"Dave"
mydomain\Dave
DCname\Dave

None of which get accepted by the DC.

I can get to the DC from other machines (ex. \\DCname\c$) with any trouble at all.

Any ideas??

I currently have a case open with Veritas, and the first tech took me through technote 236661, as well as one other whose number I don't have on hand.

 

[jblewis]

Well, we been through two levels of support with Veritas, and still no solution. As an experiment, I rebooted one of our other DCs in DSR mode and tried to connect to it with Veritas, and just like the broken one, could not.

I'm seriously thinking that the solution is going to be to dcpromo the machine (to demote it from being a DC) and then run dcpromo again to promote it back to being a DC.

JB

 

[mattjurado]

So let me clarify your procedure for my sake. When you boot up, you go to Directory Services Restore mode. You're trying lot login as an account other than administrator ("Dave"). "Dave" is an a member of the Administrators group, correct? This account is specified in the Remote Agent as the account to use, correct (should be a local user)? If so, what happens, what error(s) do you receive?

Also, do you really need to restore the system state? Can you not just dcpromo it into the domain and allow everything to replicate?

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[jblewis]

I forgot when I posted that that the DSR username is always "administrator" so, yeah, err no, I'm using the administrator account.

The "last resort" was to dcpromo it, but as I have found out, it's not quite that simple since it is not able to transfer the one role it has (infrastructure) to another DC.

I did find an FAQ here on tek-tips.com in the Win2k Forum,

http://www.tek-tips.com/faqs.cfm?&rat1=9&fid=4733

that seems to answer the problems I was having in performing the dcpromo.

I guess there is the "it's the principle of the thing" factor in that Veritas has been quite confident that I *should* be able to do the restore.

 

[mattjurado]

Okay, well if you decide you would like more info, answer the questions I posted above, and post back.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.