I recently had to demote my new Dell W2k server to a member server so that I could change the machine name. My goal is to use the current server as the primary DC, License server and Antivirus server, and the new bad boy as the application server. Both servers are configured as Terminal Servers to run in Application mode. I am getting two event log errors on the new Dell which are 1. The server service was unable to recreate the share SYSVOL because the directory C:\WINNT\SYSVOL\sysvol no longer exists. And 2. The server service was unable to recreate the share NETLOGON because the directory C:\WINNT\SYSVOL\sysvol\albanyrv.local\SCRIPTS no longer exists. I would like to fix these two errors so that I can promote the Dell to a DC again. After promotion I would then use this server as a backup DC after replication from the current server. I tried to install active directory on the Dell but get an error during the wizzard that basicly says it cant find the PDC or that one does not exist. Funny thing though I can log into the Dell with accounts stored only in the current servers active directory???? Maybe I should tell the wizzard this is not the second DC and then let replication happen??? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance, Frank

I don't completely understand the way you are laying out this scenario but hopefully this information will help. Win2k does not use PDC and BDC as in nt4. When only using Win2k there are only DC's all are equal and all hold a read/write copy of the sam. So if you have 1 2k server running as a domain controller, when you add the second, it should be added as a second domain controller for the same domain and then replication can take place. Hopefully this helps you out a bit... if not could you explain in a little further detail

Thanks for the reply. Let me try to explain my problem with more detail. We have a Windows 2K server that is running in terminal server application mode. It is also the DC, license server, and Norton AV server. All the users run the application software from this server using remote desktop built into their XP workstations. I purchased a new Dell server running W2k server, made it a terminal server and installed active directory. After this was done I realized that the machine name was the same as the current server so I demoted it back to a member server, changed the machine name and hooked it back into the network. I now want to promote it back to a DC and have the users run the applciations from this new server. I checked the event log on the new server and found the two errors mentioned in the first post. I think this is a result of the demotion process. I tried to install active directory but I get an error in the wizzard that says it can't connect to the current DC or that one does not exist. At the dialog where you are asked if this is the first DC I am saying that this is the second DC. If I was able to install active directory I think the event errors would go away. So should I say that this is the first DC during the active directory install? Should I fix the event log errors before proceeding? Any help would be much appreciated.

You most certainly should not say it is the first DC because it will then create a new domain. If it can't find the first DC then it is more than likely a DNS problem. You should have the Preferred DNS server in the Properties of TCP/IP pointing to the Windows 2000 server running DNS which is more than likely the first DC. Once you do that, I think your problems will be solved. Make sure your second server has a propertly configured IP address, mask, and gateway and that the Preferred DNS server is as I described. AD absolutely request a properly configured DNS server and settings to operate. And technically, not all DCs are equal. There is a PDC emulator but for the sake of this discussion, it doesn't really come into play. However BDC's are gone. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out. Glen

Glen, Thanks for the reply. I agree that I have a DNS problem. Here are the TCP/IP settings on each server. I will refer to DC1 as the current domain controller, and DC2 as the server I am trying to install AD on. Here are the TCP/IP settings on each of the servers: DC1 - General Tab - IP: 192.168.3.5, Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0, Default Gateway: 192.168.3.1, Prefered DNS: 24.92.226.14, Alternate DNS: 24.92.226.171 Advanced Settings - IP Settings: 192.168.3.6, Default Gateway: 192.168.3.1 DNS Tab - DNS server addresses in order of use: 24.92.226.14, 24.92.226.171 All other settings at their defaults DC2 - General Tab - IP: 192.168.3.6, Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0, Default Gateway: 192.168.3.1, Prefered DNS: 24.92.226.14, Alternate DNS: 24.92.226.171 Advanced Settings - IP Settings: 192.168.3.6, Default Gateway: 192.168.3.1 DNS Tab - DNS server addresses in order of use: 24.92.226.14, 24.92.226.171, 192.168.3.5 All other settings at their defaults NOTE The default gateway is the address of our VPN firewall router, and the DNS addresses were given to me by our broadband ISP. When I run dcpromo on DC2 I get this error: The wizzard cannot gain access to the list of domains in the forest. This condition may be caused by a DNS lookup problem. The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted. Therein lies the problem! Thanks again for your help! Frank

So did you fix it? The problem is that the 24.x.x.x server has no clue about your AD domain. Like I said, AD absolutely requires DNS and you, for all practical purposes are not running it. You need to point DC1 to itself as it's Preferred DNS server. Having it as alternate will not help. Then point your DC2 machine to DC1 for it's preferred DNS server. Once you do that you should be able to install the 2nd DC. However, after you do that, you probably won't be able to get on the Internet because your AD DNS doesn't know about the Internet IP address. To fix that, enable Forwarding on your AD DNS server and point it to the 24.x.x.x server. If Forwarding is grayed out in DNS, you'll have to delete the root zone, called ".", restart DNS and you should be all set. Let me know how it goes but I'll bet you a nickel if you do as I described, it will work. Good luck. Glen

Glen, Thanks again for the help. So I would enter 192.168.3.5 in the TCP/IP preferred DNS prompt on DC1, and nothing in the alternate DNS prompt on DC1. Then enter 192.168.3.5 in the TCP/IP preferred DNS prompt on DC2 and nothing in the alternate DNS prompt on DC2. After that run dcpromo on DC2. I may need some hand holding on the forwarding part so I will let you know. Thanks again, Frank