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Unable to demote DC using dcpromo

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by pete.cook 2 views

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I am trying to upgrade my primary server with a newer one. I intended to demote the DC, replicate files and apps to the new server from the old server and then promote the new server with the same to the become the DC, using the old server's former name, so that shares on client workstations remain and I don't have to do all the remapping.
However, when I run dcpromo to remove the old server from the domain I am asked to provide Enterprise Administrator credentials after about 5 minutes (the point at which another server is maintaining the domain and disconnecting the old server). My admin account is a member of the Enterprise admins group, but is rejected and it re-asks for the credentials. What is causing this and how is it overcome to allow me to demote the old server?
If it is of any help,the old server is an upgrade from a badly configured NT 4 server that I inherited when I took up my post.

4 replies

by saihib

How many DCs do you have? I would get my new server on-line before demoting the old one.
When you run DCPROMO 2 log files are generated in the WiNNT\Debug folder and these should provide valuable hints to what's going on. Check out this: MicrosoftKnowledge Base Article - Q221254 for ways to maximize the amount of information generated in these files.

by saihib

Also have a look at this:
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - Q232070
and especially this one:
Q238369 How to Promote and Demote Domain Controllers in Windows 2000

by pete.cook

After a day and a half of head scratching, I discovered the answer in the Microsoft Knowlege base article 250874. A local account on my Exchange server (which was taking over for the short time while I swapped over to the new one) was preventing access.
Thanks for your comments Saihib, but any MCP/MCSA etc worth his salt would have already tried those (and did!)

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