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Can a corrupt SAM file be repaired?

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by lanoel1811

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In a recent test restore exercise it became apparent that the SAM files on the PDC and BDC are corrupt. I have tried to repair the SAM file using the emergency repair disk and using the NT repair option. This did not cure the problem as the SAM files were corrupt on the ERD as well. Is there a way of keeping all the NT profiles and groups and repairing the SAM file to prevent having to reload all the servers and manually re-entering the profiles and groups? If not is there another way of transfering all the security data onto a new build PDC?

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by mark_nightingale

Install a new BDC on the domain,using a computer that has never been a BDC before. Immediately without any hesitation promote the BDC to a PDC. ( it is vital that you do it straight away) Then synchronise the entire domain to this new PDC by openinga comman session (dos screen) and entering: net accounts /sync.
Afterwards you can now promte the original PDC back to a PDC. If that doesn't work I you will need to restore from a backup before it was corrupted.

by lanoel1811

The process suggested has been implemented and proved unsuccessful. It seems that the corruption has been with us for some time. I may be wrong but if you add a new BDC would it not just replicate the corrupt data?

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