Recombining Split Domains

ID: Q112372

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
You cannot split a domain or rename a domain by changing the domain name on a server or a subset of servers in the domain.

Attempting to split a domain by renaming the domain on a subset of servers may work fine until one of the domains attempts to trust the other domain, or a third domain attempts to trust both of the split domains. Trust relationships do not work in this type of situation because the two domains share the same security ID (SID).

Windows NT must be reinstalled on some of the servers to split a domain or to combine domains.

If you have attempted to split a domain by changing the domain name on a subset of servers in the domain, recombine the domains by doing the following:



NOTE: In the following steps, the domain that will remain is referred to as Domain A and the domain that will be deleted is referred to as Domain B.

  1. Decide which domain will remain. Only one of the domains can stay.


  2. Create new accounts on Domain A to replace the accounts that will lost when Domain B is deleted.


  3. On domains that trust Domain B, remove that trust and make them trust Domain A. (See the Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server "System Guide" for details.)


  4. On Domain A and all trusting domains, change Access Control Lists (ACLs) to replace references to the accounts on Domain B with references to the new accounts created on Domain A.


  5. Move all workstations on Domain B to Domain A.


  6. Demote the domain controller of Domain B.


  7. From the Server Manager of Domain A, remove all servers from Domain B (if they are still listed as members of Domain B) and add them to Domain A. Make sure the domain name on all Domain B servers are changed to match the name of Domain A.


  8. Start the servers that had been in Domain B. Allow enough time for replication from Domain A to take place, and then check the event log of each server to make sure each server successfully imported the account databases of Domain A.


Note that if domains are split or combined by changing the domain name on servers, trust relationships with other domains may need to be deleted and rebuilt. For information on broken trust relationships, see article Q112214 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords : kbnetwork ntdomain
Version : WinNT:3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: February 2, 1999
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