Admin Tips
- Windows Server 2008/2003/2000/XP/NT Administrator Knowledge Base
  - Windows 2003
    - Admin Tips
      - Active Directory
        Quick tips on troubleshooting FSMO roles

Section(s): Active Directory , Active Directory
Published on Mar 14, 2006.
Last Modified on Mar 14, 2006.
Last Modified by Mitch Tulloch.
Rated 3.1 out of 5 based on 21 votes.

Here are some tips on troubleshooting FSMO roles.

Here are some tips on troubleshooting FSMO roles, presented in the form of a pop-quiz. See how you score on it, answers are at the bottom.

1. I can't add a new domain to my forest. Which FSMO role might be down?

2. I tried running adprep /domain but it failed. Which FSMO role might be down?

3. Some users changed their password but now they can't log on. Which FSMO role might be down?

4. The clocks on my servers don't seem to be synchronized properly. Which FSMO role might be down?

5. I tried upgrading a Windows 2000 domain controller to Windows Server 2003 but the DNS application partition wasn't created. Which FSMO role might be down?

Scroll down for answers...

ANSWERS:

1. Domain Naming Master 2. Infrastructure Master 3. PDC Emulator 4. PDC Emulator 5. Domain Naming Master

About Mitch Tulloch

Mitch Tulloch is a widely recognized expert on Windows administration, networking, and security. He has been repeatedly awarded Most Valuable Professional (MVP) status by Microsoft for his outstanding contributions in supporting users who deploy and use Microsoft platforms, products and solutions. Mitch has published over two hundred articles on different IT websites and magazines, and he has written or contributed to almost two dozen books and is lead author for the Windows 7 Resource Kit from Microsoft Press. For more information, see www.mtit.com .