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Directory Service Cannot Start

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7 replies

by akajoey 1 view

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Win2K Server, SP2, sole domain controller in a small office. Rebooted the server this morning, when it came back up we got this message:

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We reboot into Directory Services Restore Mode but cannot log in at all to do anything. We get a login prompt and attempt to log in as administrator with no luck. Articles I have found online seem to indicate that we should be able to log in and check the log files but we are completely shut out. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Andrew

7 replies

by dc1

You need to use the password for the admin account that is specified for the Recovery Console during the setup of the server. This is not the same password as the domain admin account (unless you put the same password for both).

by akajoey

Thanks - we remembered an old password that must have been used when the machine was set up and were able to log on. We're now on our way to recovering.

by blackdiamond

Hey,

As stated by DC1 you need Recovery Console password, but you also need the admin account name that was in use at the time the server was setup. This comes into play if you have renamed your admin account.

by eclipse860

Did you happen to disconnect any drives or change any hardware configuration while the server was down? If so, undo your changes. Just a shot in the dark.

If you changed out a hard drive, it could possibly have data that the security accounts admin needs to start the server.

by akajoey

It turns out one of the drive motors went bad, luckily we're having the data recovered and doing a much better job of planning for future disasters like this. Proof that experience is the best teacher.

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