Specify a domain controller

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To specify a domain controller

Open Group Policy Management.
In the console tree, take one of the following actions, depending on whether you want to change the domain controller for a domain or a site:
- If you want to change the domain controller for a domain, double-click the forest that contains the domain for which you want to change the domain controller, double-click Domains, right-click the domain, and then click Change Domain Controller.
- If you want to change the domain controller for a site, double-click the forest that contains the sites for which you want to change the domain controller, right-click Sites, and then click Change Domain Controller. In the Look in this domain list of the Change Domain Controller dialog box, select the domain in which the domain controller resides.
To change the domain controller for either a site or a domain, do one of the following:
- To choose the primary domain controller, select The domain controller with the Operations Master token for the PDC emulator, and then click OK.
- To choose any available domain controller, select Any available domain controller, and then click OK.
- To choose any available domain controller running Windows Server 2003 or later, select Any available domain controller running Windows Server 2003 or later, and then click OK.
- To choose a specific domain controller, select This domain controller, select a domain controller from the list, and then click OK.

Notes

All operations performed in the domain, including operations on Group Policy objects (GPOs), security groups, and organizational units in this domain use the domain controller you specify using the Change Domain Controller function.
All operations performed on links to sites use the domain controller that you specify for the sites, but all operations on Group Policy objects (GPOs) use the domain controller you specify for the domain in which the GPO resides.

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