Old SBS server died and I don't want to replace it. What (if anything) do I need to do to client PCs?

Hello

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community forum.

It sounds like you've made some good initial steps to keep your network operational. Given that your server was acting as the domain controller, DHCP provider, and file server, here are some considerations and steps you might need to take:

1. User Authentication and Logging In:

Since the domain controller is down, users currently logged in might still use cached credentials on their PCs, which is why they're still able to log in.

However, without the domain controller, they won’t be able to authenticate to the domain directly for new logins or when their credentials need refreshing.

To avoid future issues, you should consider converting the domain user accounts to local user accounts on each PC. You can do this by creating new local user accounts on each PC and copying the user profiles from the domain account to the local account.

2. File Sharing:

You've mentioned moving shared files to OneDrive for Business, which is a good step. Ensure all users have access to the necessary files and understand how to use OneDrive for Business.

3. Network Configuration:

Ensure that your DHCP on the router is correctly configured and that all devices on the network receive the correct IP settings. Verify that DNS settings are correctly assigned, as improper DNS settings could lead to network issues.

4. Group Policies:

Without a domain controller, any Group Policies set by the domain won’t be applied. If there are critical settings or scripts that were managed by Group Policies, you might need to manually apply these settings on each PC.

5. Security:

Review the security settings on each PC to ensure they are adequately protected without the domain controller. This includes antivirus, firewalls, and user permissions.

6. Printer and Peripheral Sharing:

If your network had shared printers or other peripherals managed by the server, you’ll need to set these up to be shared directly from one of the PCs or as standalone network devices.

Here is a general approach to converting a domain account to a local account:

1. Create a Local User Account:

Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users on a Windows 10/11 PC.

Click on "Add someone else to this PC" and follow the prompts to create a new local user account.

2. Copy the User Profile:

Log in as the local administrator.

Go to C:\Users and locate the domain user profile folder.

Copy the contents of the domain user profile folder to the new local user profile folder.

3. Assign the Necessary Permissions:

Make sure the new local user account has the necessary permissions to access all required resources.

4. Update Software Configurations:

If any applications were configured to use domain credentials, reconfigure them to use the new local credentials.

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any question or concern, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Daisy Zhou

Thank you for this response. It is very helpful.

Item #1 seems like the most important - but also the scariest. I will do some careful experiments before I try this on any of my client PCs.

Do you know how long cached credentials will remain? And are there any tricks to keeping them around longer?

Thanks.

If your SBS server died, and you’re not replacing it, you'll need to reconfigure your client PCs. Set up a new domain controller or switch to a cloud directory service, migrate file sharing and email to a new solution like Office 365, and update backup and DNS settings. Also, make sure clients are set up for new cloud services and email providers.

Hello

Greetings！

Based on my knowledge, cached credentials are permanently valid.

Best Regards,
Daisy Zhou