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Manual Removing A Domain Controller

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by bbowling

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I am running Windows 2000 Server. I have two Domain Controllers. I setup another server as a Domain Controller. I found I did not want this server (running Exchange 5.5) as a Domain Controller. I ran dcpromo to remove it. I thought it was removed but it was not removed. It still thinks the server is a DC but it will not replicate with other DC's and gets DNS Lookup errors and replications errors. I can not add or remove the server as a DC. How can I manually make this system a stand along server again?? Can I go into the register and removed the items that were not removed. The server acts as an Exchange Lotus Notes connector and I want to upgrade to Exchange 2000 but I know I will have problems. Thank you..

5 replies

by jdfcomputer

This computer should be demoted to a Backup Domain Cointroller, only one True Domain Controller should exist on eeach Netowrk Domain. Otherwise you will have broadcast resolving to the wrong server eventually causing netowrk errors.

by bbowling

I have a Windows 2000 Domain not a NT40. I do not have any PDC/BDC's only Domain Controllers.

by sam

hi! This issue occurs because the server object is a "container" in the Active Directory and may hold child objects that represent configuration data for other services installed on your computer. Because of this, the Dcpromo utility does not automatically remove the server object.

-Go to your Active Directory Sites and Services Manager under admin tools.
-expand your sites branch, double click the site the server resides in, double click the server's container, right click the server object (the one that represents the DC) and select delete, then respond yes.

You may get an error if you have not decommisioned appropriate services. You may need to remove any child objects.

by bbowling

I did remove the server from AD Sites. This did not help. The server stills thinks it is a DC and will not let me un-install the server as a DC. The error it gets when I try to run dcpromo now is : "The DSA object could not be found". I can not rename the computer or rejoin the Domain because it still thinks it is a Domain Controller. Thanks for your help.
Bill

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