How to view and transfer FSMO roles

This article describes how to view and transfer FSMO roles.

Original KB number: 324801

Summary

This article describes how to transfer Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) roles (also known as operations master roles) by using the Active Directory snap-in tools in Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

FSMO Roles

In a forest, there are at least five FSMO roles that are assigned to one or more domain controllers. The five FSMO roles are:

The IM role should still always be set to a valid domain controller to avoid errors being reported in monitoring systems.

You can transfer FSMO roles by using the Ntdsutil.exe command-line utility or by using an MMC snap-in tool. Depending on the FSMO role that you want to transfer, you can use one of the following three MMC snap-in tools:
Active Directory Schema snap-in
Active Directory Domains and Trusts snap-in
Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in
If a computer no longer exists, the role must be seized. To seize a role, use the Ntdsutil.exe utility.

For additional information about how to use the Ntdsutil.exe utility to seize FSMO roles, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

255504 Using Ntdsutil.exe to Seize or Transfer the FSMO Roles to a Domain

Use the Active Directory Schema Master snap-in to transfer the schema master role. Before you can use this snap-in, you must register the Schmmgmt.dll file.

Register Schmmgmt.dll

  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. Type regsvr32 schmmgmt.dll in the Open box, and then click OK.
  3. Click OK when you receive the message that the operation succeeded.

Transfer the Schema Master Role

  1. Click Start, click Run, type mmc in the Open box, and then click OK.
  2. On the File, menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in.
  3. Click Add.
  4. Click Active Directory Schema, click Add, click Close, and then click OK.
  5. In the console tree, right-click Active Directory Schema, and then click Change Domain Controller.
  6. Click Specify Name, type the name of the domain controller that will be the new role holder, and then click OK.
  7. In the console tree, right-click Active Directory Schema, and then click Operations Master.
  8. Click Change.
  9. Click OK to confirm that you want to transfer the role, and then click Close.

Transfer the Domain Naming Master Role

  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Domains and Trusts.
  2. Right-click Active Directory Domains and Trusts, and then click Connect to Domain Controller.

Note You must perform this step if you are not on the domain controller to which you want to transfer the role. You do not have to perform this step if you are already connected to the domain controller whose role you want to transfer.

Transfer the RID Master, PDC Emulator, and Infrastructure Master Roles

  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
  2. Right-click Active Directory Users and Computers, and then click Connect to Domain Controller.

Note You must perform this step if you are not on the domain controller to which you want to transfer the role. You do not have to perform this step if you are already connected to the domain controller whose role you want to transfer.

References

For more information, see: