Restart the domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode (locally or remotely)

Locally Restart a Domain Controller in Directory Services Restore Mode

To take a domain controller offline, restart it in Directory Services Restore Mode and log on as the local Administrator. If you have physical access to the domain controller, you can start in Directory Services Restore Mode locally.
In Directory Services Restore Mode, the domain controller is running as a member server and not a domain controller. When you start Windows 2000 Server in this mode, the local Administrator account is authenticated by the local Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database. Therefore, logging on requires using the local Administrator password, not an Active Directory domain password.
Requirements

·         Credentials: local Administrator account

·         Tool: N/A

To locally restart in Directory Services Restore Mode

1.       Restart the domain controller.

2.       When the screen for selecting an operating system appears, press F8.

3.       Select Directory Services Restore Mode from the Windows Advanced Options menu.

4.       When prompted, log on as the local Administrator.

Remotely Restart a Domain Controller in Directory Services Restore Mode

To take a domain controller offline, restart it in Directory Services Restore Mode and log on as the local Administrator. If the administrative computer has Terminal Services Client installed and the domain controller has Terminal Services installed and configured in Remote administration mode, you can connect to the domain controller, modify the boot.ini file, and restart the domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode.

In Directory Services Restore Mode, the domain controller is running as a member server and not a domain controller. When you start Windows 2000 Server in this mode, the local Administrator account is authenticated by the local SAM database. Therefore, logging on requires using the local Administrator password, not an Active Directory domain password.

Requirements

• Credentials: local Administrator account
• Tools: Terminal Services Client, Notepad

To remotely restart in Directory Services Restore Mode

1.       On a Terminal Services client, connect to the domain controller you want to restart in Directory Services Restore Mode. Perform the following steps on the remote domain controller.

2.       When connected, open a command prompt and change to the system directory.

3.       At the command prompt, type the following and then press ENTER:

4.  Attrib -r -s -h boot.ini

5.       To open the boot.ini file, type the following and then press ENTER:

6.  Notepad boot.ini

7.       Modify the default entry to include the /SAFEBOOT:DSREPAIR switch, as shown in the following example:

8.  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="W2K DC \\  name>" /fastdetect /SAFEBOOT:DSREPAIR

Note: The /SAFEBOOT:DSREPAIR switch works for domain controllers running Windows 2000 Server family.

9.       Save the modified boot.ini file and close Notepad.

10.    On the Start menu, click Shut Down and then click Restart. During the restart process, the Terminal Services Client reports the session is disconnected.

Caution: Be sure to click Restart and not Shut Down at this step. If you click Shut Down, you cannot remotely restart the domain controller.

11.    Wait for a period adequate for the restart process to complete on the remote domain controller, and then reconnect the client session.

12.    When reconnected, log on as the local Administrator.

13.    Before continuing with offline procedures, open a command prompt and change to the system directory.

14.    At the command prompt, type the following and then press ENTER:

15.Notepad boot.ini

16.    Delete the /SAFEBOOT:DSREPAIR switch from the default entry in the boot.ini file and save the file. Close Notepad.

Important: If you restart the domain controller before you modify the boot.ini file, the domain controller remains offline.

17.    At the command prompt (still in the system directory), type the following and then press ENTER:

18.Attrib +r +s +h boot.ini

The boot.ini file is now returned to its original state, which starts the domain controller normally.

Ref: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727062.aspx