On the Administrator Password page, you are prompted to type and confirm the password for the local Administrator account on the server. Also note that you’ll need to manually remove DNS delegations pointing to this server. Before continuing by clicking OK, you should ensure that there is another DNS server for these zones. If the domain controller is a DNS server with zones integrated with Active Directory, you’ll see a warning stating one or more Active Directory–integrated zones will be deleted. After you review the recommendations and take appropriate actions (if possible), click Yes to continue.įigure 3-15. If the domain controller hosts any operations master roles, is a DNS server, or is a global catalog server, warnings similar to the one shown in Figure 3-14 are displayed to explain how the forced removal of the related function will affect the rest of the environment. This starts the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard in Force Removal mode. You can force the removal of a domain controller by completing the following steps:Īt the command prompt, enter the following command: dcpromo /forceremoval. Performing Forced Removal of Domain Controllers This deletes the safeboot value and returns the boot process to the previous setting. This shuts down the server and restarts it without delay.Īt the command prompt, you need to enter the following command: bcdedit /deletevalue safeboot.
This configures the boot process to start in Directory Services Restore Mode.Īt the command prompt, enter the following command: shutdown -t 0 -r. To restart a domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode using the BCD editor, complete the following steps:Ĭlick Start, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run As Administrator to open an elevated command prompt.Īt the command prompt, enter the following command: bcdedit /set safeboot disrepair. The domain controller restarts in normal mode. On the General tab, in Startup Selection, click Normal Startup, and then click OK. When you have finished performing procedures in Directory Services Restore Mode, restart the domain controller in normal mode by completing the following steps: The domain controller restarts in Directory Services Restore Mode. On the Boot tab, in Boot Options, select Safe Boot, and then click Active Directory Repair, as shown in Figure 3-13.Ĭlick OK to exit the System Configuration utility and save your settings. On the Start menu, point to Administrative Tools, and then click System Configuration.
To restart a domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode using the System Configuration utility, complete the following steps: Once this flag is set, the domain controller will always start in Directory Services Restore Mode, and you can be sure that you won’t accidentally restart the domain controller in another mode. To ensure the domain controller is in Directory Services Restore Mode until you specify otherwise, you can use the System Configuration utility or the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) editor to set a Directory Repair flag. A disadvantage of this technique is that if you accidentally restart the domain controller, you might forget to put it back into Directory Services Restore Mode. You must then log on by using the Directory Services Restore Mode password for the local Administrator account. You can restart a domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode manually by pressing the F8 key during domain controller startup. During installation of Active Directory Domain Services, you set the Administrator password for logging on to the server in Directory Services Restore Mode. Restarting in this mode takes the domain controller offline, meaning it functions as a member server, not as a domain controller. Restarting a Domain Controller in Directory Services Restore Modeīefore you can forcibly remove Active Directory Domain Services, you must restart the domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode. These tasks are discussed in the sections that follow. Perform the forced removal of the domain controller.Ĭlean up the Active Directory forest metadata. Restart the domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode. In a limited number of situations, however, you might not want or be able to connect the domain controller to the domain and instead might want to force the removal of the domain controller.įorcing the removal of a domain controller is a three-part process. If a domain controller has no connectivity to other domain controllers, the standard removal process will fail, and you will need to connect the domain controller to the domain and then restart the removal process. Forcing the Removal of Domain ControllersĪ domain controller must have connectivity to other domain controllers in the domain in order to demote the domain controller and successfully remove Active Directory Domain Services.