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How to Fix the Trust Relationship Broken Error

Resetting a Machine Account password could fix the error

6 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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But when domain users encounter an error message indicating a broken or failed trust relationship, it signifies that the computer is either offline or has lost its membership with the Active Directory domain, resulting in network access issues.

A trust relationship between a workstation and the primary domain is a secure link allowing a computer to access resources across Windows-based network environments. Hence, this guide will provide you with a detailed guide on fixing the issue.

What is Broken Trust Relationship error?

The trust relationship between a workstation and the primary domain error can occur when a workstation joins anActive Directory (AD) domainif there are issues with the computer’s domain membership.

Possible reasons for the error include any of the following:

When any of these issues arise, the workstation may fail to establish a secure trust relationship with the primary domain, leading to authentication and access problems.

What are the common scenarios for the error?

IT professionals report a few common scenarios about where this error can occur. Below are a few instances:

Above are some of the common scenarios for the occurrence of the trust relationship between a workstation and the primary domain failed error.

What are the potential causes of Trust Relationship error?

While we have covered common causes of trust relationship errors, it could be valuable to elaborate on less common triggers, such as:

Now that you know some of the possible reasons behind the trust relationship broken error, let’s proceed to how to fix the issue.

How do I fix the Broken Trust Relationship error?

1. Checking the Trust Relationship

Running this command in PowerShellhelps users assess the trust relationship’s health and determine if any actions are needed.

2. Reset the Machine Account Password

Whichever method you choose to use from the 3 above, thecomputer account passwordwill be reset, resolving potential trust relationship issues.

3. Rejoin your Machine to the Active Directory Domain

By following any of the above steps, you can successfullyrejoin the maximum machine to the Active Directory domainand resolve trust relationship issues.

4. Use the NLTest utility

The NLTest utility is a command-line tool used in Windows to test and troubleshoot healthy relationship issues between a workstation and a domain.

5. Restoring an old system state

Restoring an old system state can resolve issues in situations such as the following: Software installations, configuration errors, malware infections, driver conflicts, registry corruption, data loss, and performance problems.

However, caution is advised, as compatibility, recent changes, anddata backupshould be considered before proceeding with the restoration.

What are the implications of Broken Trust Relationships?

How do I preventing Trust Relationship errors?

Try the following options to prevent the error altogether:

And that’s it on how to fix the trust relationship issues. You can also explore our similar guide on fixingthe trust relationship between this workstation and the primary domain failedfor further information.

If you have any questions or suggestions, do not hesitate to use the comments section below.

How to Fix the Trust Relationship Broken Error#

What is Broken Trust Relationship error?#

What are the common scenarios for the error?#

What are the potential causes of Trust Relationship error?#

How do I fix the Broken Trust Relationship error?#

1. Checking the Trust Relationship#

2. Reset the Machine Account Password#

3. Rejoin your Machine to the Active Directory Domain#

4. Use the NLTest utility#

5. Restoring an old system state#

What are the implications of Broken Trust Relationships?#

How do I preventing Trust Relationship errors?#