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Q112372: Recombining Split Domains

Article: Q112372
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): WinNT:3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, version 3.1 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
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You cannot split a domain or rename a domain by changing the domain name on
a server or a subset of servers in the domain.

Attempting to split a domain by renaming the domain on a subset of servers
may work fine until one of the domains attempts to trust the other domain,
or a third domain attempts to trust both of the split domains. Trust
relationships do not work in this type of situation because the two domains
share the same security ID (SID).

Windows NT must be reinstalled on some of the servers to split a domain or
to combine domains.

If you have attempted to split a domain by changing the domain name on a
subset of servers in the domain, recombine the domains by doing the
following:


NOTE: In the following steps, the domain that will remain is referred to as
Domain A and the domain that will be deleted is referred to as Domain B.

1. Decide which domain will remain. Only one of the domains can stay.

2. Create new accounts on Domain A to replace the accounts that will lost when
  Domain B is deleted.

3. On domains that trust Domain B, remove that trust and make them trust Domain
  A. (See the Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server "System Guide" for details.)

4. On Domain A and all trusting domains, change Access Control Lists (ACLs) to
  replace references to the accounts on Domain B with references to the new
  accounts created on Domain A.

5. Move all workstations on Domain B to Domain A.

6. Demote the domain controller of Domain B.

7. From the Server Manager of Domain A, remove all servers from Domain B (if
  they are still listed as members of Domain B) and add them to Domain A. Make
  sure the domain name on all Domain B servers are changed to match the name of
  Domain A.

8. Start the servers that had been in Domain B. Allow enough time for
  replication from Domain A to take place, and then check the event log of each
  server to make sure each server successfully imported the account databases
  of Domain A.

Note that if domains are split or combined by changing the domain name on
servers, trust relationships with other domains may need to be deleted and
rebuilt. For information on broken trust relationships, see article Q112214
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

Additional query words: prodnt
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Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTAdvServ310 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search kbWinNT310Search
Version           : WinNT:3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0

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