Downgrade from Windows 2000 Advanced Server to Windows 2000 Server

[Steve C.]

I have two domain controllers running on Windows 2000 Advanced Server.
Both DC's host DNS and WINS services. I've now been informed that our
purchasing group obtained licenses for Windows 2000 Server and not
Advanced Server (these were just upgraded from Windows NT 4.0 Server).
I know that there is no provision for downgrading these servers, but
am proposing the following solution:

- transfer all Operations Master roles to second DC
- uninstall DNS & WINS from first DC
- demote first DC using dcpromo
- remove computer account for first DC
- reinstall OS, DNS & WINS on first DC
- transfer all Operations Master roles to first DC
- uninstall DNS & WINS from second DC
- remove computer account for second DC
- demote second DC using dcpromo
- reinstall OS, DNS & WINS on second DC

Will this work? Are there other considerations to be made?

Thank you.

SC

 

[David Adner]

Should work. Might be easier to rebuild DC2 first, though. Doesn't
really matter, but it's the way I would go at it. Both DC's should be
GC's, too, to provide for fault tolerance while the other is being
rebuilt.