Article ID: 903654
Article Last Modified on 10/11/2007
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1, when used with:
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
SYMPTOMS
Consider the following scenario. You try to force an unattended removal of Active Directory by running the Active Directory Installation Wizard (Dcpromo.exe) command line tool together with the /forceremoval switch on a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1)-based domain controller. An augmentation of the /forceremoval switch determines that the domain controller from which you are removing Active Directory holds a critical role.
In this scenario, a dialog box appears to ask the user to confirm the removal of Active Directory. Therefore, the unattended removal fails.
Note Examples of critical roles include operations master, global catalog, and Domain Name System (DNS).
RESOLUTION
Service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
889100 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003
Hotfix information
Prerequisites
You must have Windows Server 2003 SP1 installed to apply this hotfix.
Restart requirement
You must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.
Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.
File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.
Windows Server 2003, x86-based versions
| File name | File version | File size | Date | Time | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dcpromo.exe | 5.2.3790.2493 | 672,256 | 22-Jul-2005 | 01:10 | x86 |
Windows Server 2003, x64-based versions
| File name | File version | File size | Date | Time | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dcpromo.exe | 5.2.3790.2493 | 1,513,984 | 22-Jul-2005 | 00:07 | x64 |
Windows Server 2003, Itanium-based versions
| File name | File version | File size | Date | Time | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dcpromo.exe | 5.2.3790.2493 | 1,919,488 | 22-Jul-2005 | 00:07 | IA-64 |
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, remove critical roles from the domain controller before you remove Active Directory from the domain controller.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.
MORE INFORMATION
This hotfix provides support for an additional option in the unattended answer file that bypasses the following prompts for critical roles.
DemoteFSMO=yes
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates
Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbqfe kbpubtypekc kbhotfixserver kbwinserv2003sp2fix KB903654
