Just to note, the steps to run ntdsutil in this guide seem to be truncated.

However, I had the same issue noted above. When it came time to select the DC for metadata cleanup, it was already gone after removing the server from AD Users and Computers and AD Sites and Services. Is there another way to verify full metadata removal?

Thanks

When you use Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) or the Active Directory Users and Computers console (Dsa.msc) that is included with Windows Server to delete a domain controller computer account from the Domain Controllers organizational unit (OU), the cleanup of server metadata is performed automatically. Before Windows Server 2008, you had to perform a separate metadata cleanup procedure.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/deploy/ad-ds-metadata-cleanup

I found it was necessary to remove the SYSVOL replication membership after performing these steps:

1. Open the Active Directory Administrative Center (dsac.exe).
2. At the top of the left navigation pane, switch to Tree view from List view.
3. Expand the Active Directory domain.
4. Expand the System container.
5. Expand the DFSR-Global Settings container.
6. Expand the Domain System Volume container.
7. Expand the Topology container.

Described in this article: https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/active-directory-administration/9781789806984/2dda7ed1-ca4b-40e1-89fc-0c463ef1d443.xhtml

Good day,

The steps to perform the deletion of a server were followed to the letter and did not work.
It must have started from step 2, Sites and services of the active directory, unprotecting the connections to the other servers, then unprotecting the server and finally eliminating the server, being automatically removed from Users and computers in the active directory.
And then you go to step 3 with the ndsutil command and you do not see it anymore, so it does not do anything.
Therefore, I request that this manual be rectified.

Thank you

I think this info is a little obsolete.the cleanup of server metadata is performed automatically as mentioned above.

Yes I confirm the observations of the respondents here:  After removing the server from ADUC and ADS&S the ntdsutil step is not needed.  It was probably from the Windows 2000/2003 days.

C:\Users\Administrator>ntdsutil
ntdsutil: metadata cleanup
metadata cleanup: remove selected server DC2
Binding to localhost ...
Connected to localhost using credentials of locally logged on user.
LDAP error 0x22(34 (Invalid DN Syntax).
Ldap extended error message is 0000208F: NameErr: DSID-031001F7, problem 2006 (BAD_NAME), data 8350, best match of:'CN=Ntds Settings,DC2'

Win32 error returned is 0x208f(The object name has bad syntax.)
)
Unable to determine the domain hosted by the Active Directory Domain Controller
(5). Please use the connection menu to specify it.
metadata cleanup:

These comments are a hoot. Folks - the instructions listed here are step 1 OR step 2 OR step 3. 

Granted, it should have been worded better and never listed in this way to begin with, but each "step" is actually just 3 options that all do the same thing. 

Don't forget to update DNS, article should be updated to reflect this. I've done this a few times and always have to go in and amend manually, maybe it does update over time but I've never seen it. I would delete the offline server then check all references to the offline server on the properties of your name servers have also been removed. Btw, I've also done this before via Dcpromo and even that doesn't update DNS. Step three wasn't needed for me, think this goes back to server 2003. 

Step three was not required for me, either. The DCs I was removing were 2008 R2, and I was removing them via a 2012 DC. I got the error: 

(The object name has bad syntax.) Unable to determine the domain hosted by the Active Directory Domain Controller (5). Please use the connection menu to specify it.

Regardless, it seems to have all been successful as far as I can tell (is there a way to verify metadata was successfully removed?).  I followed the steps and the removed DCs were not in the list when I executed "list servers in site" so I think it's fine. I subsequently ran the AD Replication Status Tool and the servers were also nowhere to be found. 

Hi there

I somehow clicked on force removal during the removal process , then ended up with a dangling mess

now I am trying to manually clean 

I got the same problem at step 3;

anyway, it is good to know the AD can be manually cleaned

C:\>ntdsutil
ntdsutil: metadata cleanup
metadata cleanup: remove selected server KKDC
Binding to localhost ...
Connected to localhost using credentials of locally logged on user.
LDAP error 0x22(34 (Invalid DN Syntax).
Ldap extended error message is 0000208F: NameErr: DSID-0310022D, problem 2006 (BAD_NAME), data 8350, best match of:
'CN=Ntds Settings,KKDC'

Win32 error returned is 0x208f(The object name has bad syntax.)
)
Unable to determine the domain hosted by the Active Directory Domain Controller (5). Please use the connection menu to specify it.