Restoring Files on a Domain Controller

Restoration on a domain controller is FRS-aware. This means Backup recognizes that it is working with replicated data. Therefore, a nonauthoritative restore is always performed, because it is assumed that there is another replica in the domain with valid data.

If you want to force an authoritative restore, in the Advanced Restore dialog box, select When restoring replicated data sets, mark the restored data as the primary data for all replicas . This ensures that the restored data is replicated to your other servers. If you do not choose this option, the data you are restoring cannot be replicated to other servers because in a nonauthoritative restore the version of the file currently residing on the other replica set members always takes precedence. This causes other servers to overwrite the restored data, thereby preventing you from restoring the data. Forcing an authoritative restore assigns the newest version number to the replicated data to guarantee its replication to other servers.

Use the When restoring replicated data sets, mark the restored data as the primary data for all replicas switch if and only if this is the last member of the replica set. This switch is intended for disaster recovery cases when the whole replica set is lost. Setting a member as initial master when it has other members from which to synchronize can result in name collision.

To perform an authoritative restore of SYSVOL

  1. Restore the data from tape to an alternate location.

  2. Perform a nonauthoritative restore.

  3. After the SYSVOL share is published, copy the restored data from the alternate location into the actual location.