SBS 2003 to SBS 2011 AD and DNS Problem– _msdcs Folder Is Empty?

When we were performing the last clean up steps in our client’s SBS 2003 to SBS 2011 migration by removing all references to the source server’s IP, DNS A, and NS references in DNS Management we encountered this bit of strangeness:

Note that the folder icon is wrong and there was only an NS reference in that folder.

Searching around produced a lot of fluff with no real substance on how to fix the problem.

Our own SBS 2011 DNS Domain.local zone subfolder looks like the following:

After posing the question to some fellow MVPs, Michael B. Smith gave us the instructions we needed to fix things:

1. Open Windows Explorer
2. Navigate to: C:\Windows\System32\Config\
3. Open an elevated command prompt.
4. Net Stop NetLogon [Enter]
5. Delete the following two files in the Config folder:
• netlogon.dnb
• netlogon.dns
• 
6. Net Start NetLogon [Enter]
7. Verify in DNS that the _msdcs folder is now properly populated.
• 

Thanks Michael!

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book

*Our original iMac was stolen (previous blog post). We now have a new MacBook Pro courtesy of Vlad Mazek, owner of OWN.

Windows Live Writer