Clean Up Metadata
If you give the new domain controller the same name as the failed computer, then you need perform only the first procedure to clean up metadata, which removes the NTDS Settings object of the failed domain controller. If you will give the new domain controller a different name, then you need to perform all three procedures: clean up metadata, remove the failed server object from the site, and remove the computer object from the domain controllers container.
Requirements
- Credentials: Enterprise Admins (metadata cleanup requires modifying the configuration naming context)
- Tool: Ntdsutil.exe, Active Directory Sites and Services, Active Directory Users and Computers
To clean up metadata
1. At the command line, type ntdsutil and press ENTER.
2. At the ntdsutil: prompt, type metadata cleanup and press ENTER.
3. At the metadata cleanup: prompt, type connections and press ENTER.
4. At the server connections: prompt, type connect to server servername, where servername is the domain controller (any functional domain controller in the same domain) from which you plan to clean up the metadata of the failed domain controller. Press ENTER.
5. Type quit and press ENTER to return you to the metadata cleanup: prompt.
6. Type select operation target and press ENTER.
7. Type list domains and press ENTER. This lists all domains in the forest with a number associated with each.
8. Type select domain number , where number is the number corresponding to the domain in which the failed server was located. Press ENTER.
9. Type list sites and press ENTER.
10. Type select site number , where number refers to the number of the site in which the domain controller was a member. Press ENTER.
11. Type list servers in site and press ENTER. This will list all servers in that site with a corresponding number.
12. Type select server number and press ENTER, where number refers to the domain controller to be removed.
13. Type quit and press ENTER. The Metadata cleanup menu is displayed.
14. Type remove selected server and press ENTER.
At this point, Active Directory confirms that the domain controller was removed successfully. If you receive an error that the object could not be found, Active Directory might have already removed from the domain controller.
15. Type quit, and press ENTER until you return to the command prompt.
If the new domain controller receives a different name than the failed domain controller, perform the following additional steps:
Note: Do not perform the additional steps if the new computer will have the same name as the failed computer. Ensure that hardware failure was not the cause of the problem. If the faulty hardware is not changed, then restoring through reinstallation might not help.
To remove the failed server object from the sites
1. In Active Directory Sites and Services, expand the appropriate site.
2. Delete the server object associated with the failed domain controller.
To remove the failed server object from the domain controllers container
1. In Active Directory Users and Computers, expand the domain controllers container.
2. Delete the computer object associated with the failed domain controller.
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