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HOW TO: Move the FSMO roles to a different Domain Controller (Using the UI) |
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This article will discuss how to move each of the five FSMO roles using the GUI based methods.
The GUI isn't the only way to move the FSMO roles. The FSMO roles can also be moved (and seized in the event of a failure) using the command line utility ntdsutil.exe. For more information on moving the roles via the command prompt, or seizing the roles in the event of a failure, please refer to the links at the end of this document.
There are five FSMO roles in total. Two are forest wide, and the remaining three are domain specific. For more information on these roles, please refer to the links at the end of this document.
Transferring the domain-specific roles
The three domain-specific roles, the PDC emulator, the RID master, and the Infrastructure master are all moved from the Active Directory Users & Computers snap-in (dsa.msc).
First, either load the Active Directory Users & Computers snap-in on the server that you wish to transfer the role to, or from the server that you are viewing the Active Directory Users & Computers snap-in from, connect to the domain controller that you wish to move the role to.
Next, in the Active Directory Users & Computers snap-in, right-clicking on the domain will give you a context-sensitive menu with ‘Operations Masters...'
Select the Operations Masters... tab and you are faced with the following dialog box:
Choose the FSMO role that you wish to move and select Change...
Acknowledge the following dialog:
And the role is now transferred.
Repeat this process for any of the domain-specific roles: RID, PDC and Infrastructure.
Transferring the Domain Naming master
The domain naming master is one of the two forest wide roles, and will therefore be less likely moved, or at least, you should find that you move this role less.
The process is similar to the domain roles, except the Operations Masters... option is chosen from within Active Directory Domains & Trusts (domain.msc).
Again, right-click on the domain and choose operations masters... The same applies with regards to connecting to the server that you wish to transfer the role to or loading domain.msc from the machine that you wish to transfer the role to.
Transferring the Schema Master
Again, the way that this role is the same as the others, however you have to use the snap-in which, by default, is not registered and therefore does not appear in Administrative Tools.
To register the Active Directory Schema snap-in you enter regsvr32 schmmgmt.dll at either the run command or the command prompt.
Once you've registered the schmmgmt.dll RegSvr32 will output a success dialog.
Now you'll need to create a new custom MMC console and add the Active Directory Schema. Then, you'll be able to get to the Operations Masters... context-sensitive menu option.
Type mmc at the run command, and then choose Console\ Add/Remove Snap-In from the file menu. From the next dialog, choose Add... and then select the Active Directory Schema snap-in.
Choose close and then OK. At this point you may wish to save this custom MMC so that you can access the Schema again without having to create another custom MMC.
Now, right-click on the Active Directory Schema container and choose Operations Masters... and follow the same guidance as given earlier.
More/ additional/ alternate information - further reading
For information on how to seize the FSMO roles, that is for information on how to move these roles in the event of a failure and the role holder being off-line, please refer to the following Microsoft knowledgebase articles:
Please note, that you can also use ntdsutil.exe to transfer the roles. Just remember not to use the seize command; rather use the transfer command. Seize is only to be used when the role holder cannot be contacted (because it is dead).
For information pertaining to the optimum placement of the FSMO roles, the following Microsoft knowledgebase article is a good place to start:
For a brief summary (introduction) of what each role does, the following Microsoft knowledgebase article is a good place to start:
For some additional detail of what each role does, the following msresource.net knowledgebase article is a good place to start:
And for more information on all the warnings that have been written regarding the Infrastructure master role holder and a Global Catalog role holder, please refer to this msresource.net knowledgebase article:
Document information
Author: Paul Williams
Written: 25-06-2004
Version: 2.0
Last updated: 07-08-2007
Last updated by: Paul Williams
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How-To 
