domain controller 2016 DNS zones empty

Question

hello
I dont know what happen after scavenging all DNS records and folders are missing from my only domain controller
i have no backup as i didn't even have time to set up the backup
now i have this - how can i recreate the folders ? they are all missing like dc , _sites,_tcp , etc
I also have these events : The DNS server has loaded the zone _msdcs.Otojuste.local from file NULL on server DC.Otojuste.local. [virtualization instance: .].
The DNS server has loaded the zone Otojuste.local from file NULL on server DC.Otojuste.local. [virtualization instance: .].

looks like a file should exist in place of NULL

Answer 1

From the test i have done, if the DNS Zone is AD integrated and it has never been changed for a file, you should be able to restart the netlogon service on the DC to recreate all folder /records.

But if the DNS Zone has been configured into a file, event if revert configuration to AD integrated, you cannot recreate those records by restarting the Netlogon service

Can you validate if the records are still in the Domain DNS Zone & Forest DNS Zone Partitions ?

You can see this informations using the console adsiedit.msc

Click Action / Connect To
Click on the radio button "Select a well known Naming Context:
Select Configuration
Click Ok

Open the configuration partition and click on CN=Partitions
On the right side, right click on the DomainDNSZone and click on New Connection from Here
You will have a connection to the DomainDNSZone on the left side

Click on the DomainDNSZone on the left side and navigate to CN=MicrosoftDNS
Under that, you should see the DNS Zones. Are you able to see the different records under each DNS Zones ?

Do the same thing for the Forest DNSZone

Also, what is the Scavenging configuration for the Refresh interval / No-Refresh interval ?

Answer 2

Hmmm... that's weird... normally a scavenging does not delete this...

Have you tried to restart the netlogon service on the DC ?

net stop netlogon && net start netlogon

hth

Answer 3

Does the zones were AD Integrated of in a file (C:\Windows\System32\dns...) ?
By default, the DNS zones are AD Integrated.

Answer 4

yes i can see some

i was able to run another dc , i can see everything in the dns .. is there a way to backup and restore ?

Answer 5

Hello @tarek H ,

Does your successfully registered DNS records are no longer present in a DNS zone?

A cumulative list of reasons that cause DNS records to disappear from DNS zones are listed in the below link and Depending on the issue, the resolutions change.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/dns-records-not-present

Hope this answers all your queries, if not please do repost back.
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