Copying From a Dead Computer

If the source computer has failed, you can create a staging folder by manually copying the Active Directory data files from the dead computer.

Salvage the dead computer's disk

You need to make the old C: disk partition visible on the new computer (for example as E:). Use one of the following methods, in order of preference:

• Remove the disk drive from the dead computer and insert it into an external USB enclosure (typically $39 USD). Attach the USB enclosure to the new computer.
• Open the new computer and connect the old disk to the secondary IDE cable.
• Copy the dead C: partition to a temporary partition on the new computer (E:) with a software disk recovery tool such as Acronis® True Image, Partition Commander, or Symantec Ghost 2003.
• You can manually XCOPY the folders C:\Windows and C:\Documents and Settings (C:\Users and C:\ProgramData on Windows Server 2008) to a scratch folder on the new computer (for example to E:\DeadDisk\C). This method is not recommended because it does not guarantee a complete and accurate image. You need to be very careful to preserve the attributes and Access Control Lists (ACLs) for the files.

Minimum Required Folders

On Windows Server 2000/2003 you must have a copy of the following folders:
\Windows, \Documents and Settings\All Users, and \Documents and Settings\Administrator.

On Windows Server 2008 you must have a copy of the following folders:
\Windows, \ProgramData, and \Users\Administrator.

Run UMove

Install and run UMove. See the instructions for Emergency Move.

When you are asked “Where are the Active Directory files located?” answer In a staging folder on a local disk. When you are prompted to enter the path to the staging folder, type in the path to the root of the dead computer's disk (for example “E:\”). UMove will ask to confirm that E:\ is the image of a dead disk. Answer “Yes”.

More Than One Disk

If the Active Directory database files (NTDS.DIT and EDB.LOG) or the System Volume (SYSVOL) are scattered across multiple disks you need to include all the disks that contain the AD files.

For example, let's assume that on the dead computer your original Windows folder was in C:\Windows, SYSVOL was in D:\SYSVOL, the database files were in E:\MyAd\NTDS, and the log files were in E:\MyAd\NTDSLOG.

Method 1: Attach the old C:, D:, and E: disks to the new computer. If you already have disks C:, D: and E:, the attached disks will be labeled F:, G:, and H:.

UMove will prompt you to enter the disk map. The disk map shows which original disk letters correspond to which local disk letters on the new computer. See figure 1.

Click Next to continue.

Method 2: Manually gather together the files so that they reside under a single tree of folders. See figure 2.

Method 1 is the preferred method. It guarantees that all of the required files will be available in the correct locations.

Windows Server 2008: Non-R2 to R2

You can move AD from Windows Server 2008 (non-R2) to Windows Server 2008 R2 using the dead-disk method only if R2 adprep was previously applied to the AD on the non-R2 computer. Otherwise Windows Server 2008 R2 will fail to boot using the copied AD database because it does not have the new R2 features. To prevent this problem UMove will detect if R2 adprep was not run, and it will display a warning message and refuse to proceed.

The workaround for moving the dead AD database from non-R2 to R2 (without adprep) is as follows:

1. Install Windows Server 2008 x64 (non-R2) on the destination computer.
2. Run UMove to salvage AD from the dead disk.
3. Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2.

For more information

See the topic Emergency Move.