Microsoft Windows Question:

You can’t restore Active Directory (AD) to a domain controller (DC) while the Directory Service (DS) is running. To restore AD, perform the following steps.

Reboot the computer.

The computer will boot into a special safe mode and won’t start the DS. Be aware that during this time the machine won’t act as a DC and won’t perform functions such as authentication.

1. Start NT Backup.
2. Select the Restore tab.
3. Select the backup media, and select System State.
4. Click Start Restore.
5. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.

After you restore the backup, reboot the computer and start in normal mode to use the restored information. The computer might hang after the restore completes; I’ve experienced a 30-minute wait on some machines.