The error message An error occurred while trying to configure this machine as a Domain Controller is most likely to occur when trying to promote your machine as a domain controller. In this post, we will offer the most suitable solution to this issue.
An error occurred while trying to configure this machine as a Domain Controller
If you’re faced with this issue, you can try either of our recommended solutions below to resolve the issue.
- Restart Server computer
- Use dsa.msc snap-in on the existing Domain Controller
Let’s take a look at the description of the process involved concerning each of the listed solutions.
1] Restart Server computer
The quickest resolution to this An error occurred while trying to configure this machine as a Domain Controller issue is, to perform a full restart of the server machine just like client machines.
Once the server completes boot, you can try the DC promotion. If the error persists, then you can try the next solution.
2] Delete the failed server machine account
Do the following:
- Launch Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc) snap-in.
- Click Computers from the left pane.
- In the right pane, right-click the failed server you joined as a member server, and select Delete from the context menu. This should converge AD replication.
- Next, run
sysdm.cplcommand on the server that failed to promote as Domain Controller, and remove it from the domain forcibly. - Next, remove the AD DS role.
- Reboot server and install AD DS server role back.
Now, you can retry to promote the machine as Domain Controller using the promotion credentials in domain\user format this time.
Additional notes
The table below (sourced from Microsoft) shows all the built-in logs (enabled and configured for maximum verbosity by default) which are the most important instrument for troubleshooting issues with domain controller promotion and demotion.
| Phase | Log |
|---|---|
| Server Manager or ADDSDeployment Windows PowerShell operations | – %systemroot%\debug\dcpromoui.log- %systemroot%\debug\dcpromoui*.log |
| Installation/Promotion of the domain controller | – %systemroot%\debug\dcpromo.log- %systemroot%\debug\dcpromo*.log
– Event viewer\Windows logs\System – Event viewer\Windows logs\Application – Event viewer\Applications and services logs\Directory Service – Event viewer\Applications and services logs\File Replication Service – Event viewer\Applications and services logs\DFS Replication |
| Forest or domain upgrade | – %systemroot%\debug\adprep\\adprep.log- %systemroot%\debug\adprep\\csv.log
– %systemroot%\debug\adprep\\dspecup.log – %systemroot%\debug\adprep\\ldif.log* |
| Server Manager ADDSDeployment Windows PowerShell deployment engine | – Event viewer\Applications and services logs\Microsoft\Windows\DirectoryServices-Deployment\Operational |
| Windows Servicing | – %systemroot%\Logs\CBS\*- %systemroot%\servicing\sessions\sessions.xml
– %systemroot%\winsxs\poqexec.log – %systemroot%\winsxs\pending.xml |
To troubleshoot issues not explained by the logs, use the following tools as a starting point:
- Dcdiag.exe
- Repadmin.exe
- AutoRuns.exe
- Task Manager
- MSInfo32.exe
- Network Monitor 3.4 (or any third-party network capture and analysis tool)
Hope you find this post helpful!
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