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So the computer that was my Windows 2003 Domain Controller fragged its HDD.
Of course, I have only one, and I have no backup. Fortunately, I am not in
a critical environment, so I can rebuild the DC with a new name, and deal
with the fallout. I was hoping to minimize the effects by being able to
keep the user profiles from the existing domain users (all two of them!) Is
there any way to do this, or will I need to copy files between old domain
profiles and new domain profiles manually?

Hank wrote:

> So the computer that was my Windows 2003 Domain Controller fragged its
> HDD.

Well, then defrag it. Or are you meaning something more serious?

> Of course, I have only one, and I have no backup. Fortunately, I am not
> in a critical environment, so I can rebuild the DC with a new name, and
> deal
> with the fallout. I was hoping to minimize the effects by being able to
> keep the user profiles from the existing domain users (all two of them!)
> Is there any way to do this, or will I need to copy files between old
> domain profiles and new domain profiles manually?

What will your domain users call you after losing all their profiles,
favorites and maybe redirected folders?
You should not
- build a domain controller without a raid (even software raid, which each
2k/2k3 server can do, will be better then nothing) or regular backups, as
it's harddrives are much more under stress then a workplace pcs drives will
be.
- complain about a "fragged" harddrive without explaining what you really
mean, in a international newsgroup where most people don't understand the
dialect you use, especially when it's ambigious
- and then, finally, rant about your own stupidity.

Have a nice weekend shift *eg* then!

"Walter Mautner" <> wrote in message
news:fjfj43-...
> Hank wrote:
>
>> So the computer that was my Windows 2003 Domain Controller fragged its
>> HDD.
>
> Well, then defrag it. Or are you meaning something more serious?

Much. The drive was reformatted, and it contained the NTDS logs.

>
>> Of course, I have only one, and I have no backup. Fortunately, I am not
>> in a critical environment, so I can rebuild the DC with a new name, and
>> deal
>> with the fallout. I was hoping to minimize the effects by being able to
>> keep the user profiles from the existing domain users (all two of them!)
>> Is there any way to do this, or will I need to copy files between old
>> domain profiles and new domain profiles manually?
>
> What will your domain users call you after losing all their profiles,
> favorites and maybe redirected folders?

They'll be unhappy, but one will call me 'Brother' and the other 'Husband'

> You should not
> - build a domain controller without a raid (even software raid, which each
> 2k/2k3 server can do, will be better then nothing) or regular backups, as
> it's harddrives are much more under stress then a workplace pcs drives
> will
> be.

RAID is how this all started. When it was a 2000 server, I had an Adaptec
IDE RAID card in it. Unfortunately, the card is not compatible with 2003.
I discovered the problem (too late), built a new DC, transferred roles,
rebuilt, and transferred back. Once all that was done, I put my second DC
back in the closet (the machine is an old desktop that just meets the
minimums for 2003) I then went to set up the software RAID on the repaired
system, but I didn't double-check my configuration before I converted the
drive to mirror.

> - complain about a "fragged" harddrive without explaining what you really
> mean, in a international newsgroup where most people don't understand the
> dialect you use, especially when it's ambigious

A good point.

> - and then, finally, rant about your own stupidity.

Try as I might, I have not be able to do anything about this. At my primary
job, I wouldn't dare let someone do what I did here. And I'm the party
responsible for the backups. I should have known better.

>
> Have a nice weekend shift *eg* then!

In news:fjfj43-,
Walter Mautner spewed forth:
> Hank wrote:
>
>> So the computer that was my Windows 2003 Domain Controller fragged
>> its HDD.
>
> Well, then defrag it. Or are you meaning something more serious?
>
>> Of course, I have only one, and I have no backup. Fortunately, I am
>> not in a critical environment, so I can rebuild the DC with a new
>> name, and deal
>> with the fallout. I was hoping to minimize the effects by being
>> able to keep the user profiles from the existing domain users (all
>> two of them!) Is there any way to do this, or will I need to copy
>> files between old domain profiles and new domain profiles manually?
>
> What will your domain users call you after losing all their profiles,
> favorites and maybe redirected folders?
> You should not
> - build a domain controller without a raid (even software raid, which
> each 2k/2k3 server can do, will be better then nothing) or regular
> backups, as it's harddrives are much more under stress then a
> workplace pcs drives will be.

Way correct. Even in our remote office with only three users, the server has
RAID 5 and tape backup. Now, OTOH, the box with Terminal Server on it, since
there's no data, isn't quite as well built, but if it dies, nothing is lost
but a little setup time.


> - complain about a "fragged" harddrive without explaining what you
> really mean, in a international newsgroup where most people don't
> understand the dialect you use, especially when it's ambigious
> - and then, finally, rant about your own stupidity.
>
> Have a nice weekend shift *eg* then!

--
There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore looking
like an idiot.