Problem description
When attempting to restore a domain controller virtual machine with DRaaS to Amazon AWS, the restore fails with AWS_DR24 error.
Error message:
AWS_DR24: VM is not valid to create AMI.
Cause
This error may occur if the virtual machine being restored contains an NDTS database installed on a secondary volume instead of the system volume C:\. During the import process, secondary volumes may not be accessible as the AWS PV storage drivers are installed for the first time. If the secondary volumes are not accessible, Active Directory services may fail to find the NTDS directory causing the operating system to crash.
Resolution
Move the Active Directory database to the system volume C:\ and run the backup job again.
Trigger DR restore manually and then perform a failover to AWS.
See Also
Use Ntdsutil to manage AD files - Windows Server | Microsoft Learn This document is the official technical reference for the
ntdsutilfile management commands. It covers the syntax for moving the database (move DB to), moving log files, and other related maintenance tasks.How Can I Move NTDS and SYSVOL to a New Drive Without Demoting the Domain Controller? | Microsoft Learn This page provides a clear, user-friendly guide that walks through the entire process discussed in the previous article, making it easy to follow along.