An error occurred while promoting the server to a domain controller

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Applies To: Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard

Problem   An error occurred while promoting the server to a domain controller.

Features affected   Varies.

Resolution    Due to the number of complex product interactions and dependent tasks related to the failure in promoting the server to a domain controller, it is not possible to provide the exact steps to recover from this failure.

As a first step, see article 2536941 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

You may also find it helpful to review the entries in the DCPromo log file at C:\Program Files\Windows Small Business Server\Logs\dcpromo_<DateTime>.txt. You can also run the Dcdiag tool to determine if there are any specific functionality issues with Active Directory Domain Services. For more information about the Dcdiag tool, see Dcdiag.

If you need further assistance, visit the Windows SBS 2011 Troubleshooting and Support website.