server crashed, should I promote?

[sekser]

Hi all,

Server crashed this morning. its our PDC on a nt 4 domain.
Should i just promote my BDC for the time being while i get the main server fixed?

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Bobby

 

[bozo1]

Definitely.

 

[sekser]

will this carry over the DHCP settings, etc for the new PDC?

 

[bozo1]

DHCP has nothing to do with domain controllers.

 

[DcHoliday9]

Don't promote if you can fix the PDC and bring it back online.

If your are going to format and reinstall Windows then Promote.

But I Repeat Don't Promote If You Plan to Bring the PDC back OnLine

 

[sekser]

Yes i plan on bringing the PDC back online,
Dell is coming out tomorrow to replace HD's.

I plan on doing a NT4 install, then restore everything from the tape backup.

When i do a install of the new NT4, i'm goign to have to install it as a BDC first then promote right?

Should I just wait and tell everyone they are out of luck until tomorrow? hehe

I guess i just don't understand why I shouldn't promote the bdc for now and then demote it later when i'm ready.

 

[DcHoliday9]

<< Yes i plan on bringing the PDC back online,
Dell is coming out tomorrow to replace HD's.

I plan on doing a NT4 install, then restore everything from the tape backup.

When i do a install of the new NT4, i'm goign to have to install it as a BDC first then promote right?

Should I just wait and tell everyone they are out of luck until tomorrow? hehe

I guess i just don't understand why I shouldn't promote the bdc for now and then demote it later when i'm ready. >>



The steps involved

1. Promote the BDC now

2. When the Old PDC gets fixed make it a BDC.

3. Once the New BDC is up and working DHCP and all then promote it to the PDC

This is the only way you can do this. Also I would recreate the DHCP Scope on the BDC that is up and running. Also when you say restore from back up what kind of information are you restoring?

The Doc

 

[sekser]

Restoring from backup has all of the pst files from outlook, user documents, login scripts, network programs data files (i.e. peachtree, tvscan, etc)

thanks,
I will do so. For now i'll promote the BDC, setup the DHCP scope, and get everyone internet acess.

 

[DcHoliday9]

Let us know when you get the broken one up and running.

Also your login scripts should be on the BDC.

 

[netsysadmin]

Also to add to the mix...you cannot add or change any user accounts while the BDC is the only server online...you will need to promote it if you want to make any user account modifications...good luck with the restore!!

 

[Woodchuck2000]

I was under the impression that you can't demote an NT server to a BDC without serious hacking-to-pieces of bits of the registry...?

I'd just wait until the PDC is back up - if it was stable before the crash, it's worth waiting a day or so to get back to the original state...

 

[DcHoliday9]

<< I was under the impression that you can't demote an NT server to a BDC without serious hacking-to-pieces of bits of the registry...?

I'd just wait until the PDC is back up - if it was stable before the crash, it's worth waiting a day or so to get back to the original state... >>



This can be done though server manager. You just have to have a PDC at all times. So inorder to demote a PDC to a BDC you have to promote a BDC to a PDC. When you promote a BDC to a PDC the current PDC automaticly(sp) becomes a BDC.

He has to promote the BDC to a PDC. Then when he reinstalls the OS on the broken computer he needs to make it a BDC. This is why you have a BDC and never just a PDC.

The Doc