How To Remove the Root Zone (Dot Zone)

When you install DNS on a Windows 2000 server that does not have a connection to the Internet, the zone for the domain is created and a root zone, also known as a dot zone, is also created. This root zone may prevent access to the Internet for DNS and for clients of the DNS. If there is a root zone, there are no other zones other than those that are listed with DNS, and you cannot configure forwarders or root hint servers. For these reasons, you may have to remove the root zone.

To remove a root zone, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click DNS.
2. Expand Server, and then expand Forward Lookup Zone.
3. Right-click the folder that is named "." (period), click Delete, click Yes to confirm that you want to delete the zone, and then click Yes again when you receive a warning that this is an Active Directory directory service zone.
4. Restart the computer. If you cannot restart the computer, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, and then click Run.
   2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
   3. At the command prompt, type the following commands. Press ENTER after each command:
      • net stop dns
      • net stop netlogon
      • net start netlogon
      • net start dns

Note: If this method does not create a list of root hint servers, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then press ENTER.
3. At the command prompt, type net stop dns, and then press ENTER.
4. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   copy Systemroot\System32\Dns\Samples\Cache.dns Systemroot\System32\Dns
5. Press Y. When you are prompted to overwrite the existing file, press ENTER.
6. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
7. On the View menu, click Advanced Features.
8. Expand System, expand MicrosoftDNS, right-click RootDNSServers, and then click Delete. When you are prompted to delete this object, click Yes. When you are prompted to delete this object and the objects that it contains, click Yes.
9. Quit Active Directory Users and Computers, and then repeat the first procedure that is in the "More Information" section of this article.