PowerShell

The Move-ADDirectoryServerOperationMasterRole PowerShell cmdlet can be used to transfer FSMO

roles. The roles being transferred are specified using the -OperationMasterRole parameter:

Move-ADDirectoryServerOperationMasterRole -Identity TargetDC -OperationMasterRole

pdcemulator, ridmaster, infrastructuremaster, schemamaster, domainnamingmaster

ntdsutil.exe
ndtsutil.exe is a lightweight command-line tool that can perform a number of useful functions, including
the transfer of FSMO roles.

FSMO roles can be transferred using the following steps:

1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. Type ntdsutil and press Enter. A new window will open.
3. At the ntdsutil prompt, type roles and press Enter.
4. At the fsmo maintenance prompt, type connections and press Enter.
5. At the server connections prompt, type connect to server <DC> (replacing <DC> with the
hostname of domain controller that the FSMO roles are being transferred to) and press Enter. This will
bind ntdsutil to the target domain controller.
6. Type quit and press Enter.
7. At the fsmo maintenance prompt, enter the appropriate commands for each FSMO role being
transferred:
o To transfer the Schema Master FSMO role, type transfer schema master and press Enter.
o To transfer the Domain Naming Master FSMO role, type transfer naming master and
press Enter.
o To transfer the RID Master FSMO role, type transfer rid master and press Enter.
o To transfer the Infrastructure Master FSMO role, type transfer infrastructure master and
press Enter.
o To transfer the PDC Emulator FSMO role, type transfer pdc and press Enter.
8. To exit the fsmo maintenance prompt, type quit and press Enter.
9. To exit the ntdsutil prompt, type quit and press Enter.