CMD: FSMO Role Transfer

Prerequisite Check

Open Event Viewer and check Applications and Service logs for errors in the following:

• ADWS

• DFS Replication

• Directory Service

• DNS Server

If these services are good, then it is safe to proceed with FSMO Role transfer.

Transfer FSMO roles using NTDSUtil tool

1. Open Command Prompt with elevated privileges (Run as Administrator)

2. Type ntdsutil and press Enter

3. Type roles and press Enter

4. Type connections and press Enter

5. Type the following:

   1. connect to server "SERVERNAME" and press Enter

   2. Where "SERVERNAME" is the name of the server FSMO roles are being transferred to

This sets the FSMO role transfer location. Now, one by one, each role needs to be transferred using the command(s) below. After each Enter at the end of each command, a pop-up confirmation window will appear - click Yes to continue.

transfer schema master >>> press Enter
transfer rid master >>> press Enter
transfer naming master >>> press Enter
transfer pdc >>> press Enter
transfer infrastructure master >>> press Enter

When each role has been transferred to new server, it is safe to quit out of the NTDSUtil tool. Type quit and press Enter.

Once these roles are confirmed on the new server, the old server can be decommissioned or features/roles removed (i.e. Active Directory).