Demoting a domain controller forcefully

It's also an option to forcefully remove a domain controller from Active Directory. While graciously demoting should be the preferred option, you might have to resort to this option.

The process of demoting a domain controller forcefully, consists of these steps:

1. Performing a metadata cleanup
2. Deleting the domain controller from DNS
3. Deleting the computer object for the domain controller
4. Deleting the SYSVOL replication membership

1. Deleting the domain controller from Active Directory Sites and Services
2. Seizing any FSMO roles that were hosted by the domain controller (you can do this first to ensure no impacts for domain members)
3. Taking care of the existence of global catalog servers

If the domain controller was the last domain controller for a domain in an existing forest, the domain will need to be removed as it is now an orphaned domain.