Managing Orphaned Metadata

The directory service maintains various metadata for each domain and server known to the forest. Normally, domains and domain controllers are created by means of promotion using the Active Directory Installation wizard provided with the Windows 2000 operating system and are removed by means of demotion using the same tool. You can invoke the Active Directory Installation wizard by typing dcpromo at the command prompt or by selecting the Active Directory option that is displayed on the welcome page of Configure Your Server.

Promotion and demotion are designed to correctly clean up the appropriate metadata. In the directory, however, you might have domain controllers that were decommissioned incorrectly. In this case, their metadata is not cleaned up. For example, a domain controller has failed, and rather than attempting to restore it, you decide to retire the server. This leaves some information about the retired domain controller in the directory. The general model of operation is to connect to a server known to have a copy of the offending metadata, select an operation target, and then delete it.

Caution

Do not delete the metadata of existing domains and domain controllers.

Table C.5 lists and describes the metadata cleanup commands.

Table C.5 Metadata Cleanup Commands

Command	Description
Connections	Invokes the Connections submenu.
Remove selected domain	Removes the metadata associated with the domain selected in the Select operation target submenu.
Remove selected server	Removes the metadata associated with the domain controller selected in the Select operation target submenu.
Select operation target	Invokes the Select operation target submenu.