Active Directory Cookbook

16.4. Performing a Nonauthoritative Restore

Problem

You want to perform a nonauthoritative restore of a domain controller. This can be useful if you want to quickly restore a domain controller that failed due to a hardware problem.

Solution

Using a graphical user interface

1. You must first reboot into Directory Services Restore Mode (see Recipe 16.2 for more information).

2. Open the NT Backup utility; go to Start → All Programs (or Programs for Windows 2000) → Accessories → System Tools → Backup.

3. Click the Advanced Mode link.

4. Under the Welcome tab, click the Restore Wizard button and click Next.

5. Check the box beside System State and any other drives you want to restore and click Next.

6. Click the Advanced button.

7. Select Original location for Restore files to.

8. For the How to Restore option, select Replace existing files and click Next.

9. For the Advanced Restore Options, be sure that the following are checked: Restore Security Settings, Restore junction points, and Preserve existing mount volume points. Then click Next.

10. Click Finish.

11. Restart the computer.

Discussion

If you encounter a failed domain controller that you cannot bring back up (e.g., multiple hard disks fail), you have two options for restoring it. One option is to remove the domain controller completely from Active Directory (as outlined in Recipe 3.6) and then repromote it back in. This is known as the restore from replication method, because you are essentially bringing up a brand new domain controller and letting replication restore all ...