[Samba] Error Demoting DC Windows from Domain

[Rowland penny]

On 20/08/2019 16:06, Marcio Demetrio Bacci wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I left the server off for 5 days.
>
> The Samba 4 DC Servers are apparently working fine.
>
> Now, I am unable to demote Windows Server 2008 Server through the 
> DCPROMO tool.
>
> The following message appears:
>
> "/The operation failed because:
>
> Active Directory Domain Services could not find another Active 
> Directory Domain Controller to transfer the remaining data to the 
> directory partition DC = DomainDnsZones, DC = empesa, DC = com, DC = br.
>
> The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted./"
>
> The Replication between servers (Samba 4 and Windows) is OK.
>
> Is it advisable for me to remove Windows DC manually?
>
Please tell me that you haven't turned your Windows DC back on again. If 
you have, is it connected to the domain ?

If it is, then turn it off again and never turn it on again whilst it is 
connected to the domain.

If everything is working correctly on your Samba DCs, once the Windows 
DC is disconnected, run:

samba-tool domain demote --remove-other-dead-server=<THE_WINDOWS_DC>

on one of the Samba DCs

I would then take the Windows DC outside the domain (so it cannot 
connect) and then reinstall an OS on it, this will stop you ever 
bringing the Windows DC back again.

Rowland