Q01  - How to create a forest with a domain ?

 

1. Click Start, Run, and type dcpromo.

2. On the Welcome page, click Next.

3. On the Operating System Compatibility page, click Next.

4. On the Domain Controller Type page, click Domain controller 

for a new domain and click Next.

5. On the Create New Domain page, click Domain in a new forest

and click Next.

6. Type the full DNS name for the new domain and click Next.

7. Verify the NetBIOS name and click Next.

8. Specify a location and click Next.

9. Choose a location and click Next.

10. Verify an existing DNS server or click Install and configure�,

and then click Next.

11. Specify whether or not to assign default permissions.

12. When prompted, specify a password.

13. Review the Summary page, and click Next.

14. When prompted, restart the computer.

 

Q02 - How to add a DC (Domain Controler) to an existing domain ?  - toutwindows.com

 

1. Run dcpromo.

2. On the Domain Controller Type page, select the Additional 

domain controller for an existing domain checkbox.

3. On the Network Credentials page, type the user name,

password, and user domain.

4. On the Database and Log Folders page, type the location in

which you want to install the database and log folders, or click

Browse.

5. On the Shared System Volume page, type the location in which

you want to install the SYSVOL folder, or click Browse.

6. On the Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator

Password page, type and confirm the Directory Services

Restore Mode password and click Next.

7. Review the Summary page, and then click Next.

8. When prompted, restart the computer.

 

Q03 - How to rename a Domain Controler ? - toutwindows.com

 

1. In the Control Panel, double-click System.

2. In the System Properties dialog box click Change.

3. When prompted, confirm that you want to rename the domain

controller.

4. Enter the full computer name and click OK.

 

Q04 - How to delete (remove from domain) a Domain Controler ? - toutwindows.com

Delete a DC :

To remove a domain controller that is online and is no longer required:

1. Open the Active Directory Installation Wizard (Run dcpromo).

2. On the Remove Active Directory page select the This server is the last domain

controller in the domain check box, and then click Next.

3. On the Administrator Password page type your new administrator password,

and then click Next.

4. On the Summary page, review the summary, and then click Next.

 

To remove a domain controller that is damaged and cannot be started from Active Directory:

In this case, you have to use ntdsutil , read the http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;216498

 

Q05 - How to check the correct initialisation of Active Directory ? - toutwindows.com

 

After you have performed an upgrade, you can verify the promotion of a server to a domain controller by verifying the following items. Default Containers These are created automatically when the first domain is created. Open the Active Directory Users and Computers Microsoft Management Console (MMC), and then verify that the following containers appear here: Computers, Users, ForeignSecurityPrincipals   Default Domain Controllers Organizational Unit Open Active Directory Users and Computers, and then verify that this organizational unit appears here.   Default-First-Site-Name You can verify this item by using Active Directory Sites and Services.   Active Directory Database Your Ntds.dit file is the Active Directory database. Verify that it resides in the %Systemroot%\Ntds folder.   Global Catalog Server By default, the first domain controller becomes a global catalog server. To verify this item: Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services. Double-click Sites, expand Servers, and then select your domain controller. Double-click the domain controller to expand the server contents. Below the server, an NTDS Settings object is displayed. Right-click the object, and then click Properties. On the General tab, make sure that the Global Catalog check box is selected (this is the default setting).   Root Domain To verify this role, use the net accounts command. The computer role should be "primary" or "backup," depending on whether the computer is the first domain controller in the domain.   Shared System Volume A Windows Server 2003 domain controller should have a shared system volume located in the %Systemroot%\Sysvol\Sysvol folder.   SRV Resource Records You must have a DNS server installed and configured for Active Directory and the associated client software to function correctly. Use the DNS Manager MMC snap-in to verify that the correct zones and resource records are created for each DNS zone. Active Directory creates its SRV RRs in the following folders: _Msdcs/Dc/_Sites/Default-first-site-name/_Tcp _Msdcs/Dc/_Tcp In these locations, an SRV RR is displayed for the following services: _kerberos _ldap

 

 

Q06 - How to create a child domain ? - toutwindows.com

You can't use a DC which manage the root domain as DC for a child domain, setup a new server and then follow the instructions :

1. Run dcpromo.

2. On the Domain Controller Type page, Click Child domain in an existing domain tree.

3. Type the user name, password, and user domain of the user account you want to use.

4. Verify the parent domain, and then type the new child domain name.

 

Q07 - How to create a new tree ? - toutwindows.com

 

1. Run dcpromo.

2. On the Domain Controller Type page, click Domain tree in an existing forest.

3. Type the user name, password, and user domain of the user account you want to use.

4. Type the full DNS name for the new domain.

 

Q10 - How to Determine the RID, PDC, and Infrastructure FSMO Holders of a Selected Domain ?

1. Click Start, click Run, type dsa.msc, and then click OK.
2. Right-click the selected Domain Object in the top left pane, and then click Operations Masters.
3. Click the PDC tab to view the server holding the PDC master role.
4. Click the Infrastructure tab to view the server holding the Infrastructure master role.
5. Click the RID Pool tab to view the server holding the RID master role.

Q11 - How to Determine the Schema FSMO Holder in a Forest ? - toutwindows.com

1. Click Start, click Run, type mmc, and then click OK.
2. On the Console menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in, click Add, double-click Active Directory Schema, click Close, and then click OK.
3. Right-click Active Directory Schema in the top left pane, and then click Operations Masters to view the server holding the schema master role.

 

Q12 - How to create a trust relationship beetween two forest ? - toutwindows.com

 

1. Open Active Directory Domains and Trusts.

2. Click Properties for forest root domain shortcut trust domain, external trust domain, or realm trust domain.

3. Click New Trust, then Next, on the Trust tab.

4. Click Next on the Welcome page.

5. Type DNS name on the appropriate Trust Name page and click Next.

6. Select the desired trust type on the Trust Type Page and click Next.

7. Select the desired trust direction on the Direction of Trust page,then follow wizard instructions.

 

Q13 - How to check trust relationships ? - toutwindows.com

Using Active Directory Domains and Trusts:

1. Right-click the desired domain and click Properties.

2. Click the desired trust, then click Properties.

3. Click Validate, click No, do not�.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for the other domain in the relationship.

 

Using netdom:

NETDOM TRUST trusting_domain_name /Domain:trusted_domain_name /Verify

 

Q14 - How to delete trust relationships ? - toutwindows.com

 

Using Active Directory Domains and Trusts:

1. Right-click the desired domain and click Properties.

2. Click the desires trust, then click Remove.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the other domain in the relationship.

 

Q15 - How to Create and Configure Sites and Subnets ?    - toutwindows.com

To use sites to manage replication between sites, you create additional sites and subnets and delegate control of sites. Creating a site involves providing a name for the new site and associating the site with a site link. To create sites, you must log on as a member of the Enterprise Admins group or the Domain Admins group in the forest root domain.

 

To create a site, perform the following steps:

1. Open Active Directory Sites and Services from the Administrative Tools menu.
2. In the console tree, right-click Sites, and then click New Site.
3. In the Name box, type the name of the new site.
4. Click a site link object, and then click OK twice.

To create a subnet object, perform the following steps:

1. In Active Directory Sites and Services, in the console tree, double-click Sites, right-click Subnets, and then click New Subnet.
2. In the Address box, type the subnet IP address.
3. In the Mask box, type the subnet mask that describes the range of addresses for the subnet.
4. Select a site to associate the subnet with, and then click OK.

To associate a site with a subnet object, perform the following steps:

1. In Active Directory Sites and Services, expand Sites, expand Subnets, and then in the console tree, right-click the subnet that you want to associate the site with, and then click Properties.
2. On the General page, in the Site box, click the site that you want to associate with this subnet, and then click OK.

 

Q16 - How to move a DC to a different site ?    - toutwindows.com

To move a domain controller to a different site, perform the following steps:

1. In Active Directory Sites and Services, expand Sites, expand the site that the domain controller is in, expand Servers, and then in the console tree, right-click the domain controller, and then click Move.
2. In the Move Server dialog box, in the Site Name list, select the site that you want to move the domain controller to, and then click OK.

 

Q17 - How to Create and Configure Site Links ?   - - http://www.toutwindows.com

 

You create site links in Active Directory to map connections between two or more sites. When you configure site links, you can define the site link properties, which include the cost, replication interval, schedule, and sites that the link is associated with.

To create a site link, perform the following steps:

1. In Active Directory Sites and Services, expand Sites, expand Inter-Site Transports, right-click IP or SMTP, depending on which protocol the site link you will use, and then click New Site Link.
2. In the Name box, type a name for the link.
3. Click two or more sites to connect, click Add, and then click OK.

To configure site links, perform the following steps:

1. Open Active Directory Sites and Services, expand Sites, expand Inter-Site Transports, and then click IP or SMTP, depending on which protocol the site link is configured to use.
2. Right-click the site link, and then click Properties.
3. On the General page of the Properties dialog box, change the values for site associations, cost, replication interval, and schedule as required, and then click OK.
4. Perform one of the following as appropriate:
   • In the Sites not in this site link box, click the site you want to add, and then click Add.
   • In the Sites in this site link box, click the site you want removed and then click Remove.
   • In the Cost box, enter a value for the cost of replication.
5. Click Change Schedule, select the block of time you want to schedule, and then click either Replication Not Available or Replication Available, and then click OK.

 

If you want to Create a Site Link Bridge

Before you can create new site link bridges, you must first disable default bridging of all site links to permit the creation of new site link bridges.

To disable default bridging of all site links, perform the following steps:

1. Open Active Directory Sites and Services, expand Sites, expand Inter-Site Transports, right-click either IP or SMTP, depending on the protocol for which you want to disable bridging of all site links, and then click Properties.
2. In the Properties dialog box, clear the Bridge all site links check box, and then click OK.

To create a site link bridge, perform the following steps:

1. Open Active Directory Sites and Services, expand Sites, expand Inter-Site Transports, right-click either IP or SMTP, depending on the protocol that you want to create a site link bridge for, and then click New Site Link Bridge.
2. In the Name box, type a name for the site link bridge.
3. Click two or more site links to be bridged, click Add, and then click OK.

 

Q18 - How to Manage a Site Topology ?    - toutwindows.com

 

 

How to Manage a Site Topology ?

To create a preferred bridgehead server, perform the following steps:

1. Open Active Directory Sites and Services, expand Sites, expand the site that contains the server that you want to configure, expand Servers, and then in the console tree, right-click the domain controller that you want to make a preferred bridgehead server, and then click Properties.
2. Choose the intersite transport or transports to designate the computer a preferred bridgehead server, click Add, and then click OK.

To determine the domain controller that holds the role of the intersite topology generator in the site, perform the following steps:

1. In Active Directory Sites and Services, expand Sites, and then select the site.
2. In the details pane, right-click NTDS Site Settings, and then click Properties.

To force the KCC to run, perform the following steps:

1. In Active Directory Sites and Services, in the console tree, expand Sites, expand the site that contains the server on which you want to run the KCC, expand Servers, and then select the server object for the domain controller that you want to run the KCC on.
2. In the details pane, right-click NTDS Settings, click All Tasks, and then click Check Replication Topology.

You use the Active Directory Sites and Services to force replication over a connection. You may be required to force replication if the event log displays replication inconsistencies or if you receive a message on the domain controller console alerting you to replication problems. To force replication over a connection, perform the following steps:

1. In Active Directory Sites and Services, expand the domain controller for the site that contains the connection that you use to replicate directory information.
2. In the console tree, click NTDS Settings.
3. In the details pane, right-click the connection that you use to replicate directory information, and then click Replicate Now.

 

Q19 - How to Transfer the Schema Master Role ?   - toutwindows.com

 

Use the Active Directory Schema Master snap-in to transfer the schema master role. Click Start, click Run, type mmc in the Open box, and then click OK. On the File, menu click Add/Remove Snap-in. Click Add. Click Active Directory Schema, click Add, click Close, and then click OK. In the console tree, right-click Active Directory Schema, and then click Change Domain Controller. Click Specify Name, type the name of the domain controller that will be the new role holder, and then click OK. In the console tree, right-click Active Directory Schema, and then click Operations Master. Click Change. Click OK to confirm that you want to transfer the role, and then click Close.    Q20 - How to transfer the Domain Naming Master Role ?  - toutwindows.com   Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Domains and Trusts. Right-click Active Directory Domains and Trusts, and then click Connect to Domain Controller. NOTE: You must perform this step if you are not on the domain controller to which you want to transfer the role. You do not have to perform this step if you are already connected to the domain controller whose role you want to transfer. Do one of the following: In the Enter the name of another domain controller box, type the name of the domain controller that will be the new role holder, and then click OK. -or- In the Or, select an available domain controller list, click the domain controller that will be the new role holder, and then click OK. In the console tree, right-click Active Directory Domains and Trusts, and then click Operations Master. Click Change. Click OK to confirm that you want to transfer the role, and then click Close.    Q21 - How to Transfer the RID Master, PDC Emulator, and Infrastructure Master Roles ?  - http://www.ToutWindows.com   Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers. Right-click Active Directory Users and Computers, and then click Connect to Domain Controller. NOTE: You must perform this step if you are not on the domain controller to which you want to transfer the role. You do not have to perform this step if you are already connected to the domain controller whose role you want to transfer. Do one of the following: In the Enter the name of another domain controller box, type the name of the domain controller that will be the new role holder, and then click OK. -or- In the Or, select an available domain controller list, click the domain controller that will be the new role holder, and then click OK. In the console tree, right-click Active Directory Users and Computers, point to All Tasks, and then click Operations Master. Click the appropriate tab for the role that you want to transfer (RID, PDC, or Infrastructure), and then click Change. Click OK to confirm that you want to transfer the role, and then click Close.    Q22 - How to backup AD ?   - http://www.ToutWindows.com AD is backed Up when you save the System State on a DC with the Backup accessory. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup. Click the Backup tab. Click to select the System State check box. (All of the components to be backed up are listed in the right pane. You cannot individually select each item.) NOTE: During the system state backup, you must select to back up the Winnt\Sysvol folder. You must also select this option during the restore operation to have a working sysvol after the recovery. The following information applies only to domain controllers. You can restore member servers the same way, but in normal mode. If any of the following conditions are not met, the system state is not restored. Backup attempts to restore the system state, but does not succeed. The drive letter on which the %SystemRoot% folder is located must be the same as when it was backed up. The %SystemRoot% folder must be the same folder as when it was backed up. If sysvol or other Active Directory databases were located on another volume, they must exist and have the same drive letters also. The size of the volume does not matter. Q23 -  How to restore AD ?   - http://www.ToutWindows.com   There is different methods, depending with the state of your AD : Normal : if you have lost only one DC, you have to restore DC and then datas Authoritative : with many DCs, you can restaure whatever you want and select it.

How to Perform a Normal Restore

To perform a primary restore, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate permissions. If the computer is in a domain, members of the Domain Admins group can perform this procedure.

To perform a primary restore of Active Directory, perform the following steps:

1. Restart your domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode.
2. Start the Backup utility.
3. On the Welcome to the Backup or Restore Wizard page, click Advanced Mode.
4. On the Welcome to Backup Utility Advanced Mode page, on the Restore and Manage Media tab, select what you want to restore, and then click Start Restore.
5. In the Warning dialog box, click OK.
6. In the Confirm Restore dialog box, click Advanced.
7. In the Advanced Restore Options dialog box, click When restoring replicated data sets, mark the restored data as the primary data for all replicas, and then click OK twice.
   Important
   Selecting this option ensures that the File Replication Service (FRS) data is replicated to the other servers. Select this option only when you want to restore the first replica set to the network.
8. In the Restore Progress dialog box, click Close.
9. In the Backup Utility dialog box, click Yes.

 

Warning

When you restore the system state data, the Backup utility erases the system state data that is on your computer and replaces it with the system state data that you are restoring, including system state data that is not related to Active Directory. Depending on how old the system state data is, you may lose configuration changes that you recently made to the computer. To minimize this risk, back up the system state data regularly.

 

How to Perform an Authoritative Restore

Unlike a normal restore, an authoritative restore requires the use of a separate command-line tool, Ntdsutil. No backup utilities, including the Windows Server 2003 system utilities, can perform an authoritative restore.

To perform an authoritative restore, perform the following steps:

1. Restart your domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode.
2. Restore Active Directory to its original location.
3. If you must perform an authoritative restore on the SYSVOL folder, restore Active Directory to an alternate location by using the Backup utility, but do not restart the computer when prompted after the restore. If you are not performing an authoritative restore on SYSVOL, skip to step 4.
4. At the command prompt, run Ntdsutil.exe.
5. At the ntdsutil prompt, type authoritative restore.
6. At the authoritative restore prompt, type .restore subtree distinguished_name_of_object (where distinguished_name_of_object is the distinguished name, or path, to the object).
   For example, to restore an organizational unit called Sales, which existed directly below the domain called contoso.msft, type .restore subtree OU=Sales,DC=contoso,DC=msft.
7. Type quit and then press ENTER.
8. Type quit again, and then press ENTER to exit ntdsutil.
9. Restart the domain controller.
10. After FRS publishes the SYSVOL folder, copy the SYSVOL folder and only those Group Policy folders that correspond to the restored Group Policy objects from the alternate location to the existing locations.

To verify that the copy operation was successful, examine the contents of the SYSVOL\Domain folder, where Domain is the name of the domain.

 

Q30 - How to Delegate Administrative Control for Managing Group Policy Links ?

 

You can delegate the ability to manage Group Policy links by selecting Manage Group Policy links in the Delegation of Control Wizard to enable a user to link and unlink GPOs.

To delegate administrative control for managing Group Policy links, perform the following steps:

1. Open Group Policy Management.
2. Browse to the forest and domain in which you want to delegate administrative control for managing Group Policy links, and then click the link.
3. In the details pane, on the Delegation tab, click Add.
4. In the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box, in the Enter the object name to select (examples) box, type the security principal, click Check Names, and then click OK.
5. In the Add Group or User dialog box, in the Permissions box, select the appropriate permission, and then click OK.

If you prefer the flexibility of the Properties dialog box, it is still available in Group Policy Management by clicking Advanced on the Delegation tab.

 

Q31 - How to Delegate Administrative Control for Creating and Editing GPOs

 

You use the Delegation of Control Wizard to delegate administrative control to create and edit GPOs.

 

To delegate administrative control for creating GPOs, perform the following steps:

1. Open Group Policy Management.
2. Browse to the forest and domain in which you want to delegate administrative control for creating GPOs, and then click Group Policy Objects.
3. In the details pane, on the Delegation tab, click Add.
4. In the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box, in the Enter the object name to select (examples) box, type the security principal, click Check Names, and then click OK.

 

To delegate administrative control for editing GPOs, perform the following steps:

1. Open Group Policy Management.
2. Browse to the forest and domain in which you want to delegate administrative control for editing GPOs, and then click the link.
3. In the details pane, on the Delegation tab, click Add.
4. In the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box, in the Enter the object name to select (examples) box, type the security principal, click Check Names, and then click OK.
5. In the Add Group or User dialog box, in the Permissions box, select the appropriate permission, and then click OK.

 

Q50 - I can't add another DC to the AD Domain. What can I check ?  - http://www.ToutWindows.com

Steps for fixing the problem when DCPROMO does not find the domain. 1. Verify that the existing domain controller is pointing to a Windows 2000 DNS server. Do not point it to any external ISP DNS servers. 2. Open the DNS MMC, double click forwarders so that you can see the zone for your domain. 3. Right click on this zone and select properties. Verify that your zone is set to allow dynamic updates, if not change it so that it does. 4. Double click your zone to expand it. You should have 4 subfolders (_MSDCS, _SITES, _TCP, _UDP) and a few records. 5. If the zones do not exist you should open a command prompt. 6. Type IPconfig /registerdns and enter 7. Type net stop netlogon 8. Type net start netlogon (restarting netlogon will force the service to register its SRV records with the DNS zone thus create the missing subfolders. The records that will be registered are in winnt\system32\config\netlogon.dns). 9. After restarting netlogon go back into your DNS zone and verify that you have the subfolders that were mentioned in 4. above. 10. If the folders are not there you may want to try running netdiag.exe /fix from the support tools. Or try restarting netlogon again. 11. On the DC that you are trying to promote verify that it is pointing to the Windows 2000 DNS server that we have been working on for DNS.

 

 

- http://www.ToutWindows.com