How to rename a Windows Server 2008 domain
Previously you have been able to use RENDOM utility provided by Microsoft to rename your Window 2000 and Windows Server 2003 domains. However in Windows Server 2008 domain you don’t have to separately install Rendom utility. It gets installed as part of “Active Directory Domain Services” role when you promote a server to the DC role. And It can be found here : %windir%\system32\rendom.exe.
I used it to rename a Windows Server 2008 domain in my test lab environment. The process was pretty straightforward but it may require more tasks if you have multiple DCs in a multi domain environment.
The Forest and Domain Functional Level should be Windows Server 2008 to proceed with the following task.
From the command prompt, I started out by running rendom /list which outputs an XML file (Domainlist.xml) to the directory where rendom resides. You edit that file to change your domain configuration to the new domain name. i.e ForestDNSZones, DomainDNSZones, Netbios name. See referenced link for details.
After you have modified the file you can run rendom /showforest which shows you the future configuration, verify and make changes if necessary.
Upload the changes you have made in the XML file: Run rendom /upload
Verify readiness of Domain Controller(s): Run rendom /prepare
Execute domain rename instructions: Run rendom /execute
After thats finishes up successfully, you should also run GPFIXUP tool to fix up GPO references to your old domain name. See Step 12 of this document.
Here is an example :
C:\Users\Administrator>gpfixup /olddns:08r2.lab /newdns:mcts.lab
Group Policy fix up utility Version 1.1 (Microsoft)Start fixing group policy (GroupPolicyContainer) objects:
……..Start fixing site group policy links:
.Start fixing non-site group policy links:
….
gpfixup tool executed with success.C:\Users\Administrator>gpfixup /oldnb:08r2 /newnb:mcts
Group Policy fix up utility Version 1.1 (Microsoft)Start fixing group policy (GroupPolicyContainer) objects:
..
gpfixup tool executed with success.
Lastly, run rendom /clean
The identity (domain GUID) of the renamed domain does not change during a domain rename operation. Thus a computer’s domain membership does not change as a result of the holding domain being renamed.
However, every member computer joined to the renamed domain needs to be rebooted twice. Please refer to “How Domain Rename works” technical reference for more info.
How Domain Rename Works : Microsoft Technet
Other References:
http://dsg.port.ac.uk/~hx/rename_domain/index.php
http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Domain-Rename.html (for domains with Exchange)
Thanks for the long-to-short on this.
Worked great!
Thank you. You save my day.
just an fyi, the technet website says that only a 2003 forest and domain level is needed to perform the renaming, not 2008… http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc816631(WS.10).aspx
Hi Scott,
08 mode is not a requirement but in my example shown, I actually renamed a Windows Server 2008 domain which for the FFL/DFL had to be 08 native. If it was not, I would then just be talking about renaming a Windows Server 2003 domain and having an one-off 08 DC in that domain.
Hi Sheikh, Thanks a lot you saved me a lot of trouble. It worked perfectly. My server warned me and rebooted before I could enter the “rendom /clean” command but I run it after restarting and logging in. Sallam.
this is what im looking for, thank you
its a shame that there’s not enough resource on the Web regarding on how to use rendom.exe
Thanks. Its a wonderful contribution.
Thank you, you just saved me two hours of aggravation and probably same thing tomorrow
I would just say that instead of examples on gpfixup utility (or, rather, in addition to them) I would’ve added the explanation from the document you have linked to. Namely the following passage:
gpfixup /olddns:OldDomainDnsName
/newdns:NewDomainDNSName
/oldnb:OldDomainNetBIOSName
/newnb:NewDomainNetBIOSName
/dc:DcDnsName 2>&1 >gpfixup.log
-Where-
OldDomainDnsName is the old DNS name of the renamed domain.
NewDomainDnsName is the new DNS name of the renamed domain.
OldDomainNetBIOSName is the old NetBIOS name of the renamed domain.
NewDomainNetBIOSName is the new NetBIOS name of the renamed domain.
DcDnsName is the DNS host name of a domain controller in the renamed domain, preferably the PDC emulator, that successfully completed the rename operation with a final Done state in the dclist.xml state file in “STEP 8: Execute Domain Rename Instructions” earlier in this document.
Thank you ,
Very simple and helpful , worked well for me.
Thank you for your above step is worked for me..
The Microsoft documentation on rendom says to run rendom.exe on a control computer, a computer conected to the domain. Do not use a domain controller to act as the control station for the domain rename operation.
What’s your exerience?
simple and great,keep going. when i change from old domain name to new still im able to find the old domain in account properties like user@olddomain.com and even new user@newdomain.local.
can you put your inputs regardint this
GREAT!!! VERY HELPFUL!!!!
One thing that you might want to add…you need to make sure that the DNS zone for the new DNS domain name exists BEFORE you begin mucking around with RENDOM. If it doesn’t then RENDOM will not be able to create the required DomainDnsZones and ForesDnsZones entries in DNS.
Guys what is the difference between .local and .com ?
See this discussion. http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Server_Software/Q_23280872.html
Basically, when using a public TLD you just have to take into consideration of the public DNS namespace usage and the possible need to use the split brain DNS to avoid the name resolution confusion.
Great post! Thank you. I had read the unabridged material on this subject and can appreciate this work very much.