Seize the operations master role

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

The Ntdsutil.exe command-line tool allows you to transfer and seize any operations master role. You must use Ntdsutil.exe to seize the schema master, domain naming master, and RID master roles. When you use Ntdsutil.exe to seize an operations master role, it first attempts a transfer from the current role owner. If the current role owner is unavailable, it performs the seizure.

When using Ntdsutil.exe to seize an operations master role, the procedure is nearly identical for all roles. For more information about using Ntdsutil.exe, type ? at the Ntdsutil.exe command prompt.

Administrative Credentials

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of either the Domain Admins group or the Enterprise Admins group in Active Directory.

To seize an operations master role

  1. Click Start, click Run, type ntdsutil, and then press ENTER.

  2. At the ntdsutil: prompt, type roles and press ENTER.

  3. At the fsmo maintenance: prompt, type connections and press ENTER.

  4. At the server connections: prompt, type connect to server servername (where servername is the name of the domain controller that will assume the operations master role), and press ENTER.

  5. After you receive confirmation of the connection, type quit and press ENTER\.

  6. Depending on the role you want to seize, at the fsmo maintenance: prompt, type the appropriate command and press ENTER.

    Role Credentials Command

    Domain naming master

    Enterprise Admins

    Seize domain naming master

    Schema master

    Enterprise Admins

    Seize schema master

    Infrastructure master

    Domain Admins

    Seize infrastructure master

    PDC emulator

    Domain Admins

    Seize pdc

    RID master

    Domain Admins

    Seize rid master

    The system asks for confirmation. It then attempts to transfer the role. When the transfer fails, some error information appears and the system proceeds with the seizure. After the seizure is complete, a list of the roles and the LDAP name of the server that currently holds each role appears.

    During seizure of the RID master, the current role holder attempts to synchronize with its replication partners. If it cannot establish a connection with a replication partner during the seizure operation, it displays a warning and confirms that you want the role seizure to proceed. Click Yes to proceed.

  7. Type quit and press ENTER. Type quit again and press ENTER to exit Ntdsutil.exe.