Delete a DNS zone

  • Article

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

Although it can also be used to delete a primary zone, the following procedure is most often used to delete a secondary copy of a zone. You can perform this procedure by using the DNS snap-in or by using the Dnscmd command-line tool.

Deleting a standard primary zone is usually unnecessary, unless you are redesigning your Domain Name System (DNS) namespace and the zone is no longer needed or used. In most cases, you can change the zone type if you only want to modify the zone.

Warning

Deleting an Active Directory–integrated zone effectively deletes the zone and eliminates its use at all other DNS servers that use the same directory store of zone data.

Administrative credentials

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure. As a security best practice, consider using the Run as command to perform this procedure.

Deleting a DNS zone

  • Using the Windows interface

  • Using the command line

To delete a DNS zone using the Windows interface

  1. Open the DNS snap-in.

  2. In the console tree, click the applicable zone.

    Where?

    • DNS/applicable DNS server/Forward Lookup Zones (or Reverse Lookup Zones)/applicable zone

  3. On the Action menu, click Delete.

  4. When you are asked to confirm that you want to delete the zone, click OK.

Note

To open the DNS snap-in, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click DNS.

To delete a DNS zone using the command line

  • At a command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

    dnscmd ServerName /ZoneDelete ZoneName [/DsDel] [/f]

    Value Description

    ServerName

    Required. Specifies the DNS host name of the DNS server. You can also type the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the DNS server. To specify the DNS server on the local computer, you can also type a period (.)

    /ZoneDelete

    Required. Specifies the command to delete the zone that is specified by ZoneName.

    ZoneName

    Required. Specifies the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the zone that you are deleting.

    /DsDel

    Deletes the zone from Active Directory.

    /f

    Performs the command without asking for confirmation. If you omit this parameter, you are prompted to confirm the deletion of the resource record.