I set up a NT4_PDC and connected an XP_SP2 computer to it. All OK. Then I turned off the xp workstation and turned on a new computer, I setup another NT4_Server and tried to set it up as a BDC, but I couldn’t make it connect. So I turned off the PDC and set up the new computer as a PDC. I read on Microsofts website how to promote / demote servers, but unfortunately the information was not clear enough for me, here is what I did. After setting the new computer as a PDC, I turned on the original PDC and on the new pdc I ran server manager. It saw itself as NT4 primary and the original PDC as a NT Server or Workstation. I was not allowed to promote the original PDC or demote the new PDC. Rather stupidly I demoted the original PDC to BDC. There were errors, but these were due to built in accounts not being transferable. It seemed to take a long time, but eventually it allowed it. I tried many times to swap them round, but it just doesn’t seem to be allowed. I could remove the original PDC from the domain, but not the new one. I could add the original one as a PDC and even promote it, but then it said the domain was outdated and needed to be synchronised. But doing this didn’t seem to work, because after attempting to promote again, only gave the same message: The domain needs to be synchronised and then try again. Regardless of this, I can log onto both computers and I can browse files on both computers. But is it possible to get it back to the original state, where the original PDC is the PDC and the new PDC is demoted to BDC or do I have to reinstall NT on both computers.

Problem 2 is related. When I switched on the XP_SP2 computer, I wasn’t allowed to logon. It said the domain controller could not be found. In server manager the XP computer is present, but I couldn’t broswe the network. The error is :the trust relationship between the workstation and Primary could not be found, and I was to re-establish the trust between the primary and the workstation. I broswed help and microsofts website, and neither gave details of how to do this.

I did try Usermanger for domains / policies / trust relationships, but I could only add domains, and not computers. I did try typing the computer name, but it said the domain controller for this domain could not be found.

If anyone could help with information to solve these problems or links to information I could read, then I would be most grateful. One of the most annying things about NT, is it will tell you that you must do something, but not how do do it. Quite simply if you must set up a trust relationship between a workstation and a server, how do you do this?

Thanks a lot.

Never let it be said, my problems are simple ones!