Migrating FSMO roles to a new Domain Controller via GUI and PowerShell

Migrating FSMO roles – transferring the RID Master, PDC Emulator, and Infrastructure Masters via GUI

1. Open the Active Directory Users and Computers from the Administrative Tools folder.
2. If you are NOT logged onto the target domain controller, in the snap-in, right-click the icon next to Active Directory Users and Computers and press Connect to Domain Controller.
3. Select the domain controller that will be the new role holder, and press OK.
4. Right-click the Active Directory Users and Computers icon again and press Operation Masters.
5. Select the appropriate tab for the role you wish to transfer and press the Change button.
6. Press OK to confirm the change.
7. Press OK all the way out.

Migrating FSMO roles – transferring the Domain Naming Master via GUI

1. Open the Active Directory Domains and Trusts from the Administrative Tools folder.
2. If you are NOT logged onto the target domain controller, in the snap-in, right-click the icon next to Active Directory Domains and Trusts and press Connect to Domain Controller.
3. Select the domain controller that will be the new role holder and press OK.
4. Right-click the Active Directory Domains and Trusts icon again and press Operation Masters.
5. Press the Change button.
6. Press OK to confirm the change.
7. Press OK all the way out.

Migrating FSMO roles – transferring the Schema Master via GUI

1. Register the Schmmgmt.dll library by pressing Start > RUN and typing: regsvr32 schmmgmt.dll
2. Press OK. You should receive a success confirmation.
3. From the Run command open an MMC Console by typing MMC.
4. On the Console menu, press Add/Remove Snap-in.
5. Press Add. Select Active Directory Schema.
6. Press Add and press Close. Press OK.
7. If you are NOT logged onto the target domain controller, in the snap-in, right-click the Active Directory Schema icon in the Console Root and press Change Domain Controller.
8. Press Specify …. and type the name of the new role holder. Press OK.
9. Right-click right-click the Active Directory Schema icon again and press Operation Masters.
10. Press the Change button.
11. Press OK all the way out.

Transferring the FSMO Roles using PowerShell

Moving all the roles from one server to another using Powershell is very easy and can be achieved in just a few lines

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$Server = Get-ADDomainController -Identity "TK5-CORP-DC-10.fabrikam.com"
Move-ADDirectoryServerOperationMasterRole -Identity $Server -OperationMasterRole SchemaMaster,DomainNamingMaster,PDCEmulator,RIDMaster,InfrastructureMaster

More info on the command Move-ADDirectoryServerOperationMasterRole can be found here

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