Trying to promote a Windows 2019 Standard Server as a Domain controller but getting error

Question

Trying to promote a Windows 2019 Standard Server as a Domain controller but getting error " Verification of replica failed. The specified domain is still using the File Replication Service (FRS) to replicate the SYVOL Share. FRS is deprecated.

The server being promoted doesnot support FRS and cannot be promoted as a replica into the specified domain.

You must migrate the specified domain to use DFS Replication using the DFSMIG command before continuing".

I need to immediately promote this Server as a Domain Controller. There are 2 Domain Controllers in the environment and they are 2012 Standard R2.

Answer 1

The two prerequisites to introducing the first 2019 domain controller are that domain functional level needs to be 2008 or higher and older sysvol FRS replication needs to have been migrated to DFSR
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Storage-at-Microsoft/Streamlined-Migration-of-FRS-to-DFSR-SYSVOL/ba-p/425405

I'd use dcdiag / repadmin tools to verify health correcting all errors found before starting any operations. Then stand up the new 2019, patch it fully, license it, join existing domain, add active directory domain services, promote it also making it a GC (recommended), transfer FSMO roles over (optional), transfer pdc emulator role (optional), use dcdiag / repadmin tools to again verify health, when all is good you can decommission / demote old one.

--please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 2

Hello,

Thank you so much for posting here.

As Dave mentioned, the minimum requirement to add a Windows Server 2019 Domain Controller is a Windows Server 2008 functional level. The domain also has to use DFS-R as the engine to replicate SYSVOL. So before we add 2019 DC to the existing domain, we need to ensure the functional level is at least Windows Server 2008, and the SYSVOL folder replication type is DFSR.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/active-directory-functional-levels

Here are the steps about how to add a new DC to existing domain. We can try the above steps.

1, Check DC health by running Dcdiag /v and check AD replication by running repadmin/showrepl and repadmin /replsum.
2, Join Windows Server 2019 to existing domain.
3, Promote Windows Server 2019 as Domain Controller.
4, Repeat step1 to check AD environment health.
5, Transfer FSMO roles to the new DC if needed.
6, Demote the old DC if needed.
7, Raise domain / forest function level based on our requirement and environment.

For any question, please feel free to contact us.

Best regards,
Hannah Xiong

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