My client's only Domain Controller (Windows Server 2003) failed. No backups or secondary DCs. I have a new DC up and running with the same IP address, host and domain name. I moved their file server into a TEMP workgroup so that critical path access to My Documents folders would be available. Now some users are only able to open their documents in Read-Only mode or not able to access them at all. If I move the file server from the TEMP workgroup back into the new domain, what effect will that have on permissions? Will the old rights and permissions transfer? Thanks!

No, you'll have to re-create all of the permissions. The domain accounts that were on the files were mapped to SIDs. Since you created a new domain from scratch, the SIDs will no longer be valid, even if you create the accounts with the same name. I assume you've tried it, but if the old DC's hard disk didn't fail, and it was some other sort of system issue, it may be worth it to get that disk into another server, and see if you can get it up and running that way. Good luck, Dan Holton

Dan, am I correct that the proper order is to join the file server into the new domain, then delete old permissions and add new ones, or should I delete old permissions and then add the server back into the domain and then add the permissions? I want to be sure I don't lose control of the client's data! Oh and the old hard drive failed... fatally. Thanks!Jim Pandzik

On second thought, (duh!), I think the proper order would be to add the server into the domain, set up the new permissions and security entries, then delete the old ones only if they conflict with the new... (I'm not usually this thick, but it's been a long week!)Jim Pandzik