Windows Server 2003 AD Corruption

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trig42

5816 posts

Uber Geek

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#90132 15-Sep-2011 14:55

Hi All,

I have a client's 2003 Server, which is a Domain Controller. Their Hard drive crashed over the weekend and I have managed to restore it to another hard disk.

It appears that the only files damaged were the AD database (NTDS.dit).
This server is a member server (and currently the AD role has been handed off to another server so everyone can log on etc.)

Not of the NTDSUTIL tools work (they crash out straight away with Jet errors).

Can I just blow away the NTDS.dit file and replace it with the bog standard one that windows has in the System32 directory? Then once I get the server restarted in normal mode (will only start is Directory Services Restore Mode at the moment) rejoin the server to the domain and grab the AD from the other DC on the domain?

gjm

808 posts

Ultimate Geek

#521507 15-Sep-2011 15:12

If it was me I would just blow away the old server and start again if it was an option. Seize all the FSMO roles on the working AD server and the rip out any references to the old server with ADSI edit. Then rebuild the old server and add the DC role to it again. Plenty of guides online on how to do this.

Alternatively do an NTBackup of the existing DC including system state and then do an non authoritive restore of AD on the broken server

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trig42

5816 posts

Uber Geek

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#521515 15-Sep-2011 15:21

gjm: If it was me I would just blow away the old server and start again if it was an option. Seize all the FSMO roles on the working AD server and the rip out any references to the old server with ADSI edit. Then rebuild the old server and add the DC role to it again. Plenty of guides online on how to do this.

Alternatively do an NTBackup of the existing DC including system state and then do an authoritive restore of AD on the broken server

Blowing the whole thing away would be easier, but they run some proprietary software off it and would rather not have to reinstall it.

I just need to know if I can blow away the existing AD database on it and restore that from the other DC(s)? And how do I blow away the AD database? Just replacing the NTDS.dit?

gjm

808 posts

Ultimate Geek

#521523 15-Sep-2011 15:33

I believe that you need to do a proper restore, no just copy the file. Do you have the system state backup from before it died?

Note above that I forgot to put the non in front of authoritative restore. You dont want to do an authoritative as that will wipe the existing domain controller....bad.

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trig42

5816 posts

Uber Geek

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#521938 16-Sep-2011 13:30

Bah. Trying to do a windows repair, but the CD image they supplied me with is not the right version (won't do a repair, only a new install) therefore the key this copy of windows was installed with doesn't work.

Is there any way that I can just reset the AD database back to scratch from Safe Mode (which I can get into)? The directory service is all that is stopping it booting into normal mode.