Renaming domain win server 2008r2

[wh0racle]

Hello, I am installing Exchange Server 2010 for a self directed study course onto a server I used in my IT class for pretty much everything from a domain controller to web server...but at the start of the year our class had all named our domains with underscores. This is a problem with exchange so I was in the process of following some pretty basic steps to rename the domain...But I guess the guide I found wasn't specific enough, I was unfamiliar with the "gpfixup", so all I entered in the command prompt was just "gpfixup", and then I carried on with "rendom/clean" and "rendom/end".

This obviously did not work and now I am left with a funky domain list.

My original domain was "carter_smn_marconi.edu" and I was trying to rename it to "carter-smn-marconi.edu"

My list now looks like this (not exact, i just edited some list I googled because I am not currently at the server):

<?xml version = &#8220;1.0&#8221;?>
<Forest>
  <Domain>
    <!-- PartitionType:Application -->
    <Guid>59add6bb-d0e8-499e-82b9-8aaca5d3e18b</Guid>
    <DNSname>carter-smn-marconi.edu</DNSname>
    <NetBiosName></NetBiosName>
    <DcName></DcName>
  </Domain>
  <Domain>
    <!-- PartitionType:Application -->
    <Guid>89cf8ae3-f4a3-453b-ac5c-cb05a76bfa40</Guid>
    <DNSname>carter-smn-marconi.edu</DNSname>
    <NetBiosName></NetBiosName>
    <DcName></DcName>
  </Domain>
  <Domain>
    <!-- PartitionType:Application -->
    <Guid>f018941b-c899-4601-bfa7-5c017e9d31e7</Guid>
    <DNSname>carter_smn_marconi.edu</DNSname>
    <NetBiosName></NetBiosName>
    <DcName></DcName>
  </Domain>
  <Domain>
    <!-- PartitionType:Application -->
    <Guid>f018941b-c899-4601-bfa7-5c017e9d31f3</Guid>
    <DNSname>carter_smn_marconi.edu</DNSname>
    <NetBiosName></NetBiosName>
    <DcName></DcName>
  </Domain>
  <Domain>
    <! &#8212; - ForestRoot -->
    <Guid>89cf6b34-d753-32a8-da6b-6a8e04bc48a4</Guid>
    <DNSname>carter_smn_marconi.edu</DNSname>
    <NetBiosName>CARTER-SMN-MARC</NetBiosName>
    <DcName></DcName>
  </Domain>
</Forest>

and I'm at a loss on how to fix it. Can anyone give me some advice on how I can fix it? I dont care if I have to rename it again to something else...Or would it just be faster to delete and build a new domain?

Cheers.

 

[DrGreen2007]

if youve used the box for 'everything' during class, probably sounds like it would be better to wipe and redo and start with a clean running machine

 

[RebateMonger]

In the future, I suggest a short internal domain name, llike "ABC.Local". Long internal domain names and long server names are a pain for both administrators and users.

 

[wh0racle]

It's the end of the year and the only thing left for me to do all I need to show an example of sending an email on Outlook between 2 clients (or outlook accounts) on my domain...

I really don't have the time to reinstall the OS and then Exchange again...But I also don't need or care for anything else on the server to work, I just need to get this domain named properly so Exchange can use it.

As for the choice of the name, I would agree but our instructor specifically told us at the start to use that name. Exchange is not part of the curriculum, so I'm sure he didn't anticipate this, I am the only one in my course that is doing anything with it.

 

[RebateMonger]

I've never done it, but:
http://www.shariqsheikh.com/blog/index.php/200804/how-to-rename-a-windows-server-2008-domain/

If your instructor suggested creating domain names with "underscores", then I'd be wary of that instructor. An underscore is definitely not a recommended character for domain names. Windows will allow it, but it'll get you in trouble eventually.

 

[yinan]

I've never done it, but:
http://www.shariqsheikh.com/blog/index.php/200804/how-to-rename-a-windows-server-2008-domain/

If your instructor suggested creating domain names with "underscores", then I'd be wary of that instructor. An underscore is definitely not a recommended character for domain names. Windows will allow it, but it'll get you in trouble eventually.

This instructor does not sound very bright. Underscores in domain names are generally not good at all. It would not take long to rebuild that server in a VM in the correct way. Also, Exchange running on a DC is not supported and I dont think it will even install.

 

[quikah]

I haven't run Exch2010, but exch2007 is dead simple to install from scratch for what you want to do.

-Install w2k8
-dcpromo , when asked choose to install DNS
-install exchange using all the defaults
-add a couple of users
-send your emails

Shouldn't take more than 2-3 hours. I do this all the time with Exch2k7 for benchmarking. I think I have this down to about a 30-60min process (have a base OS VM I clone).