Kevin Oppihle's Tech Notes

open command prompt as administrator on server you want to transfer to To transfer roles : c:\Windows\system32> ntdsutil ntdsutil: roles fsmo maintenance: connection server connections: connect to server servername server connections: q fsmo maintenance: transfer “role name” Server 2016 FSMO role names: PDC (Domain) RID Master (Domain) Infrastructure Master (Domain) Schema Master  (Enterprise) Naming Master (Enterprise) To confirm run c:\Windows\system32> netdom /query fsmo

The error you receive is “the attempt at remote directory server to remove”… was unsuccessful If you are performing the task as a domain administrator, have good AD replication and network communications the problem may be that you have the object “protected from accidental deletion” First check the server in ADUC using “Advanced Features” view: Make sure “Protect object from accidental deletion” is unchecked in the Object Tab as shown below: Also check Active Directory Sites and Services and confirm under NTDS settings “Protect object from accidental deletion” is not enabled as shown below: If you find the protection enabled and have since disabled it you can then attempt to reperform the demotion.