"DsRemoveDsDomainW error 0x2015" error message when you use Ntdsutil to try to remove metadata for a domain controller that was removed from your network in Windows Server 2003

When you use the Ntdsutil command-line tool to try to remove metadata for a domain controller that was removed from your network, you may receive the following error message:

This issue may occur when the application partition naming context (DC=DomainDnsZones) for the child domain is not removed when Active Directory is removed from the domain controller.

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type ntdsutil, and then press ENTER.
2. At the Ntdsutil command prompt, type domain management, and then press ENTER.
3. Type connections, and then press ENTER.
4. Type connect to server Domain_Controller_Name, and then press ENTER.
5. After the following message appears, type quit, and then press ENTER:
   Connected to Domain_Controller_Name using credentials of locally logged on user
6. At the domain management prompt, type list, and then press ENTER.
7. Note the following entry:
   DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=Child_Domain, DC=extension
   For example, if the child domain is Contoso.com, note the following entry:
   DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=contoso,DC=com
8. Type the following command, and then press ENTER.
   delete nc dc=domaindnszones,dc=Child_Domain,dc=extension
   Note In this command, Child_Domain represents the name of the child domain that you want to remove. For example, if the child domain is Contoso.com, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   delete nc dc=domaindnszones,dc=contoso,dc=com
9. Quit Ntdsutil.