Error: “Failed to detect if Active Directory Domain Services binaries were installed. The error was: An error with no description has occurred.”
I have a Dell 2850 Server that is showing its age and it is a PDC in an environment with two DC’s. I setup a new DC on Server 2016 and planned that to be the new PDC and replacement for the 2008R2 server. After all FSMO roles were transferred to the 2016 DC, it was time to demote the 2008R2 server.
I ran into an error and the fix was from this site. I downloaded and installed the “readiness” pack from Microsoft and then my demotion worked properly with no errors.
My only theory to why I had this error is that in the last month, the server locks hard and the only way to recover is to power cycle the server. This had to be done nearly every single day. Prior to that there was a RAID hardware failure which required purchasing new hardware to get the system to boot again. Something must have gotten corrupted.