FRS, NTFRS in an error state, File Replication.

[Koldov]

Hi all,

 

This is a really long story, but to cut it short:

 

I have noticed that our newish 2008 server (which should be a secondary DC) has nothing replicated to it in the SYSVOL folders.

 

After much Gooooooooogling found that our primary DC has the above error with the FRS service and was in an error state at the time the secondary DC was promoted.

 

This FRS service has been stopped and restarted to no avail.

 

Also after much more Goooooogling found that a way to restart the whole thing is to do an authoritative restore using the burflags registry key D4 on DC1.

 

There is some mention about backing up the SYSVOL folder first, is this just a drag and drop or NTBACKUP procedure?

 

There have been no major issues from this error so far (apart from some usernv errors) but everyone can log on and use the network /shares ok. As far as I can tell it's been like this a long time, but I know if I leave it, it will kick me in the ass one day!

 

If anyone has performed this procedure can they share any info?

[Koldov]

Just to mention our Primary DC is Server 03.

[Koldov]

To let anyone who searches for this problem know how it panned out...

 

Bit the bullet, stopped the ntfrs service on both servers, changed the burrflag registry on the main DC to 4, then restarted the service.

Changed the secondary DC burrflag registry setting to 2, restarted the service.

 

Went to make a coffee....

 

Nicely replicated SYSVOL on the secondary DC, lovely messages in event log saying it was now a real DC!

 

YMMV

 

Kol