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  • #2094194

    Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

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    by bmajors ·

    I’m a rookie and I need the right answer.
    I’ve passed NetEssentials, Workstation 4.0 and Server 4.0 (for the almost deceesed NT 4.0 MCSE certification)and I’m currently going for Enterprise. Question: NT Server 4.0 in The Enterprise study guide “Network Press, Sybex” Chapter 1 page 12 Table 1.1 states that a PDC can become a BDC. This goes against what I have been taught from the beginning. I also encountered this in the previous book, NT 4.0 Server. Can you guys help?

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    • #3836239

      Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      by lungar ·

      In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      You can demote a PDC to a BDC from within Server Manager. However, to do this, you will need to promote a BDC to the PDC. Also, you will not be able to make any changes within your domain until you have a PDC. This includes Adding servers, or workstations, updating user information, adding users, etc. This is because any changes made are made to the PDC.

      • #3669353

        Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

        by bmajors ·

        In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

        Thanks Ungarl, your answer helped a bunch. Unfortunetly it wasn’t enough to get me through Enterprise. Oh well, there’s still Windows 2000.

    • #3848502

      Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      by roadrunner_mcse ·

      In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      You can promote a BDC to a PDC but you can not demote a PDC to a BDC. There is no option to demote in server manager only promote. The only way to make a PDC a BDC is take the PDC offline, promote a BDC to a PDC and reinstall NT server on the original PDC and install it as a BDC.

      • #3669359

        Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

        by bmajors ·

        In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

        Sorry RoadRunner, I tried what Ungarl stated and it worked. I guess theoretically it can’t be done, but on the Microsoft test’s I’ve taken so far, all answers regarding a demotion indicate it is possible.

      • #3669354

        Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

        by bmajors ·

        In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

        Sorry RoadRunner, I tried what Ungarl stated and it worked. I guess theoretically it can’t be done, but on the Microsoft test’s I’ve taken so far, all answers regarding a demotion indicate it is possible.

    • #3848456

      Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      by tejota ·

      In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      You can promote a BDC to a PDC, but you can not demote a PDC to a BDC. NT automatically makes this adjustment for you when you promote the BDC since there can only be one PDC. I guess this book is correct in saying that it can become one. But it becomes one by default when you promote another BDC to PDC.

    • #3848375

      Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      by daniel ·

      In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      Answer 3 is correct. Contrary to what MCSE Roadrunner says, a PDC can be demoted to a BDC when a BDC on the same network is promoted to a PDC through Server Manager.

    • #3849324

      Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      by avachon ·

      In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      Hi, people have given you the MS hard-and-fast rule – promote BDC to PDC, take PDC off line. However, what if the PDC crashes or becomes unavailable before you can promote a BDC? The reg. key that controls the server’s frole won’t be changed to reflect that the PDC is no longer the PDC.When you recover and reboot the PDC, it thinks it’s still the PDC, but when it discovers the “new” PDC online, the new PDC stops its netlogon service. To fix, edit the default or “” value of H_Key_Local_Machine\Security\Policy\PolSrvRo. Its value will be 0x03000000 for a PDC and 0x02000000 for a BDC. To turn the PDC into a BDC, change the value to 0x02000000, then reboot. You will never see anything like this on an MS exam. And this is usually specific to a crash, etc. and a BDC promotion is not possible. There are all kinds of tweaks/tricks for NT, but stick to the straight and narrow MS “how-tos” – that is what will be tested. Hope this helps.

    • #3842652

      Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      by ustutz ·

      In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      If a PDC crashes or becomes disconected from the network, you can promote a BDC to PDC. Once the original PDC comes back on line, Server Manager offers and option on either the new PDC or the original PDC (I don’t recal which) to demote to a BDC. Buttomline, you need access to both the original and the promoted PDC when bringing the original PDC back.

    • #3669352

      Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      by bmajors ·

      In reply to Demoting a PDC to a BDC?

      This question was closed by the author

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