We are moving from Server 2008 Domain Controllers to Server 2012 R2. I created a new server, DC3 to replace the DC03 server 2008 box. The new DC was working fine in the environment. I returned the 2008 box to a member server, renamed it and gave it a new IP address.

Next, I gave the 2012 R2 box the IP address of the former DC03 box.

Then, on the the 2012 DC I used:

netdom computername dc3.company.local /add:dc03.company.local

I verified in ADSI that the secondary name was present. After waiting a good long time to be sure that DNS and AD replication has finished I entered:

netdom computername dc3.company.local /makeprimary:dc03.company.local

This resulted in an error that the change could not be made. When I went to check the name of the computer it now said it was dc03.company.local.

When I enter:

netdom computername dc03.company.local /enumerate

I get dc03.company.local and dc3.company.local

If I enter:

netdom computername dc3.company.local /makeprimary:dc03.company.local

I get the error saying network path not found.

The upshot is that the Netlogon service will not start, I have references to dc03 and dc3 in AD and ADSI and I cannot remove AD from the new 2012 R2 DC.

Any suggestions for getting out of this mess. I don't mind blowing it all away and creating a new DC but the tracks of the other two still remain in AD.

Additional Info:

netdom computername dc03.company.local /enumerate:primaryname returns dc03.company.local

netdom computername dc03.company.local /enumerate:alternatenames returns dc3.company.local

netdom computername dc03.company.local /remove:dc3.hccanet.priv returns "Unable to remove" with an error of "The specified account does not exist".

Then a netdom computername dc03.company.local /enumerate:allnames lists only dc03.company.local

netlogon service will still not start.

netdom computername dc03.company.local /remove:dc3.hccanet.priv -- is it not suppose to be dc3.company.local?

Can you run netdom /remove:dc3.company.local and see if it helps?

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc835082.aspx

Thanks,

Umesh.S.K

• Edited by Umesh S K 20 hours 16 minutes ago

No that did not work. Sorry for the confusion but I put my real domain in there and not company.local.

I think  you did not perform metadata cleanup when you demoted previous DC. Follow the below link for the steps to perform. Try removing old entries if it shows up. This will help you to remove all the unnecessary entries. Also ensure to delete DNS records once you demote the DC3.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc816907(v=ws.10).aspx

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731035.aspx

Meantime, you mentioned "The upshot is that the Netlogon service will not start, I have references to dc03 and dc3 in AD and ADSI and I cannot remove AD from the new 2012 R2 DC."

What is the error message you get when you start Netlogon service? What happens when you try removing AD from new DC?

Thanks,

Umesh.S.K

• Edited by Umesh S K 20 minutes ago links added