demoted DC still in DFS Replication

Question

I have two domain controllers running Windows Server 2012 R2 (DC01 and DC-02). I encountered a DFS replication error and decided to permanently demote DC-02, as I plan to migrate to Windows Server 2019 side by side. I demoted DC-02 using Server Manager, and everything seemed perfect: I removed DC-02 from Sites and Services, checked DNS records, and removed DC-02 from Active Directory Users and Computers. There are no more entries for DC-02 in the primary DC01.

However, when I run DCDIAG, I still see the following error:

Event String:

The DFS Replication service stopped replication on the folder with the following local path: C:\Windows\SYSVOL\domain. This server has been disconnected from other partners for 1583 days, which is longer than the time allowed by the MaxOfflineTimeInDays parameter (60). DFS Replication considers the data in this folder to be stale, and this server will not replicate the folder until this error is corrected.

I now have only one domain controller remaining (DC01). Please advise if there is any way to remove DFS replication settings for the demoted DC-02 server.

Answer 1

Follow https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/deploy/ad-ds-metadata-cleanup

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hth

Marcin

Answer 2

The shared article applies only to forcibly removed servers.

I demoted the server using Server Manager, following Microsoft's recommended guidance, and did not force the removal.

After demotion, DC-2 was automatically removed from the primary domain controller (DC01) except in "Active Directory Sites and Services," where I manually removed it. I have checked and ensured that there are no more visible objects related to SYS-DC2 in the primary DC. As a temporary measure, I stopped the DFS Replication service until I find a solution.

Answer 3

The information you provided rather clearly indicates that the two domain controllers haven't been fully replicating - which, in this case, likely resulted in some of the objects/attributes referencing the demoted domain controller being left in place. This, in turn, would lead to the behavior you're experiencing. The way to fix this is to remove stale metadata following the demotion

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If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin