Copying From a Dead Computer

If the source computer has failed, you can create a staging folder by manually copying the Active Directory 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 10, or Symantec Ghost 2003.
• You can manually XCOPY the folders C:\Windows and C:\Documents and Settings 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. Make sure that you preserve the security settings in the Access Control Lists (ACLs) for the files.

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.

Be sure to include the folders for \Documents and Settings\All Users, \Documents and Settings\Administrators, and \Windows\System32. For example use C:\StagingFolder\C\Documents and Settings\All Users, and so on. Click Next to continue.

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

The Dead Computer's Disk Must Be the Most Recent

To salvage AD from a dead computer's disk, the dead disk(s) must contain the most recent copy of Active Directory that was running on the (now dead) DC.

If you attempt to restore from an old image of a dead computer's disk (for example, from a snapshot of the disk created several weeks ago with Symantec Ghost), you may encounter errors with replication due to USN rollback.

For more information

See the topic Emergency Move.