Restoring Domain Controller (1 of 4)

Here's how I backed the domain controller.

1. Sync all DC’s
2. Run System State backup.
3. Setup a Manual backup job through True Image
4. Ran the following before/after data capture commands:
5. Before
6. net stop ntfrs
7. net stop netlogon
8. After
9. net start ntfrs
10. net start netlogon
11. Snapshot was created successfully.

Here's how I restored the image:

1. Restored image to server
2. Before booting into windows I went to Directory Services Restore Mode
3. Logged in as local admin
4. Restored from most current system state
5. Rebooted after restored system state back in to DSRM.
6. Opened up cmd and did a authorititive restore, restore database
7. After the restores above, I reboot into Windows normal mode note if it states that there are any back-links. If there are, write down the name of the .ldf file that you want to run, and run ldifde -i -k -f FileName on any files and reboot again.

I can get view the active directory users and computers, login with other user names, create users, remove users, but once I try to add a computer to the domain it get an error. I can ping the server and ping from it, so at the moment I do not understand why I can not add a computer to the domain.

Here's the error I receive:
A domain controller for the domain [domainname] could not be contacted.

Any Ideas?

Oh, I have a site with 4 DC's. the DC I am restoring is the primary.

 

Hello cfreiling,

Thank you for using Acronis Server Disk Backup software.

As the issue is rather complicated one I would recommend you to submit a request for technical support with the detailed issue description. This would let us escalate the case directly to our Experts Team. Please be sure we'll do our best to help you as soon as possible.

Thank you
--
Nikita Sakharov

 

Ok, after much debate and restoring of our DC's I've figured out the problem.

I restored the DC with out restoring the lastest system state first, instead I went straight to the authoritative restore step. Below is a list of the steps I did to successfully restore my primary Domain Controller.

1. Restored image to server
2. Before booting into windows I went to Directory Services Restore Mode
3. Logged in as local admin
4. Opened up cmd and did a authorititive restore, restore database
   • Take note if there are any files with back-links in the domain. If there are, write down the name of the .ldf file(s) that you want to run, and run ldifde -i -k -f FileName on any of the files and reboot again.
5. The DC has been restored, and you will want to run a few tests on it, by joining and disjoining workstations, adding, modifying any users, etc..

My next step is to restore another DC in the test network and allow the primary dc to replicate to it.