Active Directory Restore
When you are restoring Domain Controller with Active Directory Services the process is the same as any restore but there are a couple extra steps to get the machine back up and running. If the restore is to the same hardware you may not need to go through this process but it is recommended to do so.
Recovery Environment:
Restore the backup images using the standard process through the Restore Wizard. Once all of the volumes have been restored you will want to ensure the primary partition is bootable. To do this you will use the “Boot Configuration Utility” which is located in the tools drop down menu.
Once you are in the “Boot Configuration Utility” you will see a check box in the lower left corner of the screen that is labeled “Hide Additional Tools”. Uncheck that box and you will then see a “Diagnose” button in the upper right area of the screen. Once you select that button it will show some info in the lower text box. As long as everything shows as ok the system is ready to be rebooted
Active Directory Services:
This is where the extra steps come into play with an Active Directory restore. Before booting into Windows normally you will need to boot into the “Active Directory Restore Services” mode. To do this you will need to tap the “F8” key (just like safe mode) to access the boot menu for Windows. Select the “Active Directory Restore Services” and boot into that mode.
Once the “Active Directory Restore Services” has loaded, open a command prompt with administrative rights. Then type the following commands:
“Set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1” press enter (Enables non-present drivers to be shown)
“Devmgmt.msc” press enter (Opens the Device Manager)
Once the device manager is open, select the “View” drop down menu and select “Show Hidden Devices”. Then navigate to the “Network Adapters” in the device manager and remove the grayed out non-present drivers (mainly the previous network driver). Once those are cleared out, reboot the server
Regular Mode:
Once the drivers have been removed from the Active Directory Services mode then the server should boot to a desktop. Beware; this can take a while depending on the roles of the server. Once you are at the desktop you will need to make sure the network drivers are loaded and functioning. You will then need to configure the adapter with your network configuration settings.
Once that is done you will need to fine tune the drivers for the server and the process will be complete. If you have further Domain/Active Directory issues then you may need to contact Microsoft for further assistance.