I had to rebuild a domain from scratch. This included reinstalling windows and and joining the computers to the new domain branch by branch to get a fresh start. I have a few computers I can't reinstall windows on yet, they run very technical software I don't have the time to deal with yet. If I remove my two domain controllers from the old domain will these machines still function the same (allow logging onto the machine, file permissions)? I've never done this, I'm guessing it will have the same kind of effect that a laptop has when offsite, just has a local copy of AD and no updates can be made to it? Thanks, Eric

Hello, please contact the vendor about the software requirements and effects on removal from a domain. Permissions configured for domain accounts will NOT longer be available if the domain is demoted complete, also logging on with domain accounts will only work with cached credentials. Even if you use the same names for the new domain it will be complete different as the SID is changed.Best regards Meinolf Weber MVP, MCP, MCTS Microsoft MVP - Directory Services My Blog: http://msmvps.com/blogs/mweber/ Disclaimer: This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.

If Your old domain is still available you can use ADMT tool to migrate accounts from old domain to new domain In that case you willnot have permission problem because you can migrati SID from old to now domain More info about this you can foud here: 1. Active Directory Migration Tool Guide 2. Active Directory Migration Tool    Best regards Dubravko Marak MCP Blog: Windows Server Administration Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

If Your old domain is still available you can use ADMT tool to migrate accounts from old domain to new domain In that case you willnot have permission problem because you can migrati SID from old to now domain More info about this you can foud here: 1. Active Directory Migration Tool Guide 2. Active Directory Migration Tool    Best regards Dubravko Marak MCP Blog: Windows Server Administration Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.