Server 2003 PDC failed - but got a BDC

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The_Unbeliever

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Hi Guys

Need a few pointers.

Our PDC failed due to an unexpected power failure. This PDC was on an UPS, but didn't shut down properly. :(

We also have a generator, but for some reason it didn't kick in. :mad:

Now :

This PDC had active directory (obviously), DNS and DHCP as services, as well as Exchange 2003. Said PDC gives a bluescreen (registry error) when booting up in Directory Services Restore Mode, and does not want to boot up in safe mode/normal mode, it throws an error out saying that AD services could not start up.

Luckily I have got a BDC which's good to go.

Now : What are the steps I must follow in order to get up and running ?

1. Seize FSMO rules (as per http://www.petri.co.il/seizing_fsmo_roles.htm and http://www.petri.co.il/delete_failed_dcs_from_ad.htm)
2. Install DNS
3. Install DHCP

Then, what about Exchange 2003?

Is this the right order for things to be done?

I'm not going to do anything until I have calmed down, I'm very excited and full of adrenaline at the moment, and don't want to make a mistake.

Regards

Ook
 
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First things first, get your BDC up and running as the PDC..

Then correct your network stuff (DNS, DHCP)..
Then start checking that all your pc's on the network can access things, that permissions are still working and all that.

I would treat the Exchange stuff as a completely seperate issue. I'm assuming you have the Exchange DB backed up somewhere?
 
The Exchange DB is recoverable. I will first try to copy that off the server.

But thanks, will start wekking on promoting stuff etc.
 
Best advice I can give is to stay calm and work through things methodically.
When it comes to AD, DNS these changes take time to settle. Patience is Extremely Important

After all is done there is a clean up process to follow in AD to delete the records that point to the old server.

Just a thought, is there a spare box you could try to install the PDC's drives and do a windows recovery on (after ensuring you have backed up all important info from the drives?
 
server roles are easy. Exchange is a bitch ... rather have everyone step away from their machines, if they have not closed outlook, migrate the PST's. If they closed outlook, get an OST to PST convertor. If no go on either ... make sure you migrate the mdf's plus ldf's. Otherwise restore from backup, but I guess, there is no working backup? Been there so many times :(
 
Boss have decided to get in an IT expert to see if we can resuscitate the original DC.

If not, then we'll go the promote route.
 
Grep said:
server roles are easy. Exchange is a bitch ... rather have everyone step away from their machines, if they have not closed outlook, migrate the PST's. If they closed outlook, get an OST to PST convertor. If no go on either ... make sure you migrate the mdf's plus ldf's. Otherwise restore from backup, but I guess, there is no working backup? Been there so many times :(
Click to expand...

That was one of the options I have mentioned in passing to my Boss.

If we fail to get Exchange running with the recovered database, then we'll have to go this route.

Backup... :o eisch

Honestly, I've been a bit lax in doing exchange database backups as we got an archive email where we copy all outgoing/incoming emails.

Company data/files/etc is fine, no worries. Backing up automatically, to both two spare servers and then to tape.

I think it simply is old age catching up. Server is more than 4 years old. We've been planning and budgeting for new servers etc, but I guess our luck timed out... :(
 
And, yes, it's Exchange 2003 on Server 2003.
Thanks for the tips guys, really appreciate it.

Think I'll go home after the exchange DB finished copying & get a good night's rest in.

Not fun driving all the way from Nelspruit to Pretoria, only to face this kind of nightmare...
 
I see in the Op you did put a link to the metadata cleanup.

Anyway, hope that you can get the original server up, that for sure will be first prize.
Good Luck!
 
Electron1 said:
I see in the Op you did put a link to the metadata cleanup.

Anyway, hope that you can get the original server up, that for sure will be first prize.
Good Luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks. A good night's rest did well.

Will post updates as we proceed, so that others can learn from this.

If only the generator kicked in... *sigh*
 
FSMO roles seized successfully.

Metadata cleaned successfully.

AD data looks good, yay. I was afraid that it got corrupted.

First piece of good news :D

Now... DNS and DHCP...
 
Most interestingly - somehow the new DC would refer to the old DC. I then searched for its name in the Registry (where else? and btw, a pox on the Registry :mad:) and found the old server name under

HKLM - System - ControlSet001 - Services - NTDS - SrcRootDomain = OldServerName

Googled for it, found a link : http://web2.minasi.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25539

Followed the link, it seems M$ recommends that the entry be deleted :

Start Registry Editor and locate the following registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Parameters
If there is an entry for
Src Root Domain Srv
, right-click the value and then click Delete. This value must be deleted so that the domain controller sees itself as the only domain controller in the domain after promotion.

Important The above step is critical. Without it the re-promotion into the temporary AD forest will not complete and you will not be able to log on to the domain controller.
Click to expand...

I've done a system state backup just in case... Too many things done, can't lose everything now.
 
DNS seems to be working, as I can browse the web, etc. DHCP also do work.

But when I try to join my machine to the domain, it gives the following errors :

A domain controller for domain OOKFART could not be contacted.

Ensure that the domain name is typed correctly.

If the name is correct, click Details for tribbleshooting information.
Click to expand...

And when I click on Details :

The domain name OOKFART might be a NetBIOS domain name. If it is the case, verify that the domain name is properly registered with WINS.

If you are certain that the name is not a NetBIOS domain name, then the following information can help you troubleshoot the problem.

DNS was successfully queried for the service location (SRV) resource record used to locate a domain controller for domain OOKFART.

The query was for the SRV record for _ldap._tcp.dc._msdcs.OOKFART

The following domain controllers were identified by the query:

server03.ookfart.co.za

Common causes of this error include :

- Host (A) records that map the name of the domain controller to its IP addresses (there is an A record pointing to the correct server)

- Domain controllers registered in DNS are not connected to the network, or are not running (DC is up and running, and is connected to network)
Click to expand...

edit : will trawl the registry for any old server names... think it still got something in somewhere... :mad:

fun...
 
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Then the next step, get to use Vmware and all of this will go away.
If only you have had a working backed up VM, you could just restore the previous day's server VM.

Backups are one thing but to get back a server installation to work with your backed up data isn't always working out smoothly.
 
run some dcdiag tests and see what errors it throws up. dcdiag /test:dns
 
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