How to Transfer FSMO Roles to Another Active Directory Domain Controller in Windows Server 2012 R2 Using Ntdsutil Utility

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The following five FSMO (Flexible Single Master Operation) roles exist.

  1. Schema master - Forest wide role.
  2. Domain naming master - Forest wide role.
  3. RID master - Domain wide role.
  4. PDC emulator master - Domain wide role.
  5. Infrastructure master - Domain wide role.

There are two ways to transfer FSMO roles, using the graphical console or the command line tool called ntdsutil. Login to your domain controller were want to transfer the FSMO roles and perform following steps:

Step 1: Open the command prompt. Type ntdsutil and press the enter key. Type in following commands one by one.

ntdsutil: roles

fsmo maintenance: connections

server connections: connect to server <another domain controller name>

server connections: quit

 

Command prompt

Step 2: 

FSMO maintenance: transfer schema master (Press Enter Key).

transfer schema master

Step 3:

FSMO maintenance: transfer naming master (Press Enter Key)

transfer naming master

Step 4:

FSMO maintenance: transfer rid master (Press Enter Key)

transfer rid master

Step 5:

FSMO maintenance: transfer PDC (Press Enter Key)

transfer PDC

Step 6:

FSMO maintenance: transfer infrastructure master (Press Enter Key)

transfer infrastructure master

Step 7: All roles have been transferred. Type "netdom query fsmo" command to verify.

All roles have been transferred

 

3 thoughts on “How to Transfer FSMO Roles to Another Active Directory Domain Controller in Windows Server 2012 R2 Using Ntdsutil Utility”

  1. You need to “connect to server” to the server you want to transfer the roles to, not if you are logged in to the target server as per the instructions.

    Reply

  2. Assalamu Alaikum,

    This is a great help you have provided.Can you tell how to do it through GUI and Power shell.Thankful to you.Regards,

    Reply

  3. Good article and thanks for sharing.

    One reason I absolutely hate Microsoft is the pathetic things they do which makes life so much easier for us techies. Its like the first rule of fight club. Microsoft “Makes our lives easier NOT Harder!!!!”. This should be the rule but does not apply.

    If we do a NETDOM QUERY FMSO and get “domain naming Master” why do we need to use “naming master” with NTDSUTIL????! After 30 years in IT there is one company that makes me want to pull all my hair out because they simply do not understand KISS – Keep it Simple Stup1d. MS being the latter.

    Thank god we have Amazon AWS now so we can try stay clear of MS. Competition and choice. So important.

    Reply

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