Hi pcnetnet,
Could you copy and paste dcpromo.log file for analysis? (from the
problematic DC)
I suspect this is due to slow link between sites which caused data
replication to fail during dcpromo, this is a common issue for many larger
corps.
You may use IFM promotion for such cases.
KB 311078 article describes how to create and to restore system state
backups for IFM promotions and how to perform an IFM promotion.
IFM promotions include the following four steps:
1. Installing a Windows Server 2003-based domain controller in each domain
where you will be performing IFM promotions.
2. Performing a system state backup from a Windows Server 2003-based domain
controller in each domain where you will be performing IFM promotions.
3. Restoring the system state backup to the local drive of each Windows
Server 2003-based computer that you want to promote. The restored system
state backup must be from a domain controller in the same domain that the new
domain controller will be promoted in.
4. Promoting the domain controllers that you installed in step 1 by using
the Active Directory Installation Wizard.
Promoting an additional domain controller
1. Verify that the domain controller that is to be promoted has DNS name
resolution and network connectivity to existing domain controllers in the
domain controller's target domain.
2. Click Start, click Run, type dcpromo /adv, and then click OK.
3. Click Next to bypass the Welcome to the Active Directory Installation
Wizard and Operating System Compatibility dialog boxes.
4. On the Domain Controller Type page, click Additional domain controller
for an existing domain, and then click Next.
5. On the Copying Domain Information page, click From these restored backup
files:, and then type the logical drive and the path of the alternative
location where the system state backup was restored. Click Next.
6. In Network Credentials, type the user name, the password, and the domain
name of an account that is a member of the domain administrators group for
the domain that you are promoting in.
7. Continue with the remainder of the Active Directory Installation Wizard
pages as you would with the standard promotion of an additional domain
controller.
8. After the SYSVOL tree has replicated in, and the SYSVOL share exists,
delete any remaining restored system files and folders.
KB 311078 "How to use the Install from Media feature to promote Windows
Server 2003-based domain controllers"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311078