Question : Active directory import help.  Dead PDC with no backup of system state.

Hello.  My Windows 2000 server died today and I have no backup of the system state, but I can access the files on the drive.  I have a Windows 2003 server I would like to make my PDC.  Is there any way I could import the Active Directory database on the Windows 2000 server?  I have tried moving the ntds.dit and that did not work.  HELP!!!

Answer : Active directory import help.  Dead PDC with no backup of system state.

So your problem is keyboard and mouse problems.  Do you have any remote control software?  PCAnywhere?  VNC?  Timbuktu?  Terminal Services enabled?  Is it JUST the mouse and keyboard don't work?  Or are there other factors?  Can you connect to it remotely with Computer management to test things?  Have you tried booting to the recovery console and restoring Registy backups?


If you want to pursue something that I don't think has any realistic chance of working (copying the AD files from one server to another), then feel free, but I can't help you.

If you want to TRY to get your 2000 system working again - in some way that allows you to rescue your AD info - then work with me and lets try to get it working again (I've worked with Dell for YEARS - that's all they really do is check the hardware out.   They aren't Windows people and unless you bought a Windows support agreement from them, forget getting help from them on that).  If your THAT up-the-river, you might try spending $250 on Microosft Support incident.  It is their product and I've talked to some REALLY good techs there (I've also talked to some mindbogglingly stupid techs there as well, but with that, you have to take your chances).  And of course, you can try to work with me (and maybe others here if they drop by).