•Symptom – The client was unable to promote the Windows 2012 server named “pta_t30” as an additional domain controller in their windows 2003 domain t6.local.
•Cause – We were getting the error: Verification of replica failed. The forest functional level is Windows 2000. To install a Windows Server 2012 domain or domain controller, the forest functional level must be Windows Server 2003 or higher.
•Resolution – We performed the following steps so as to get the issue resolved:
– Ensured that the health of the Domain is good.
– Corrected the Time settings in the registry on secondary domain controller.
– The windows 2012 server named “pta_t30” was getting the IP address from DHCP so we assigned the Static IP address.
– Corrected the NIC binding and the provided order on “pta_t30”.
– Ensured that we are able to ping the domain and DC’s from 2012 server named “pta_t30”
– Raised the forest functional level to Windows 2003 and forced Active Directory replication.
– Ensured that we are able to promote the 2012 server as a Domain controller.
Reference Articles:
• How to Promote Windows Server 2012 as a Domain Controller:http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/14505.how-to-promote-windows-server-2012-as-a-domain-controller.aspx
• Understanding Domain and Forest Functional Levels:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771294.aspx.
• Understanding Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) Functional Levels: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/understanding-active-directory-functional-levels(v=ws.10).aspx
• Configure an authoritative time server: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042
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