How to move Active Directory FSMO roles

Learn how to move the Active Directory Flexible Single Master Operation (FSMO) roles. In this example, I use PowerShell to locate which server is hosting the roles, and then migrate each one to a new domain controller.

[TheChriser]

That is Soo much better than the Old method i was taught off using the GUI

[vitk]

Thank you very much, excellent content!

[robturner]

Did this this morning, thanks. Had a problem where the schema master wouldn't move - access denied. I had to run the powershell windows as another user and give it the domain admin password, not the "right click run as administrator" one. Guess my "admin" account didn't quite have the full admin perms it needed but anyway that got it all moved. Thanks.

[adamlokmanomy]

Hi want to ask,

can i have 4 AD Server

my current fsmo roles setting is :

schema master - AD1
domain naming master AD1
PDC - AD2
RID - AD2
Infra Master - AD2


my environment has DFS replication issue. the GPO is not sync between the ADs. (event ID 6002 )

Should i change the PDC pointing to AD1 ?

[fizijan]

Thanks Danny! i wanted help on how i can do it on windows server 2008

[ANDYCHOW]

Heads up, even though I was using an enterprise admin user I was still receiving "Access is denied." I needed to make the user a member of Schema Admins as well for this to work.

[spatt]

I was under the impression that moving cmds were run from the "target" server. You seem to be running them from the source (primary) server.

[mohamedeladl]

What if the PDC has hardware failure or can’t bootup? How can I move fsmo rules in this case ADC??