In place upgrade (2000 AD to 2003 AD)

[Guest]

Hello to all,

Here's my situation:

I have a working 2000 AD domain with 2 domain controllers. I want to do an "in-place" upgrade to 2003 via the following method. Any thoughts/comments on this method or better methods are openly accepted.

Method:
Shutdown DC 2 and rebuild with a fresh install of 2003.
Once DC 2 is back up and running/replicating with DC 1, upgrade DC 1 to 2003.
After both are running 2003/communicating with no errors, shutdown DC 1 and redo with new 2003. (Transfer FSMO roles)

That's the general idea for upgrading without having to just upgrade. It's always best to have fresh installs in my opinion. Does anyone see any major problems with this approach or have any better ideas?

Thanks,
Goliath

 

[Simon Geary]

This wont really be a clean install though as to install a Windows 2003 DC
in a Windows 2000 domain you will have to run adprep /domainprep and
/forestprep and the AD database will be upgraded and kept, it wont be a new
one.

For a truly clean install you could try this:
Run dcpromo on DC2 to bring it to a member server.
Turn off DC2, wipe its hard drive and build with 2003, don't join a domain.
Install DNS on DC2 and make damn sure it works!
dcpromo DC2 to a brand new forest, new domain.
Use ADMT to migrate all users, computers etc. from DC1across to the 2003
domain.
Blitz DC1 and reinstall 2003, then run dcpromo on DC1 to join the new
domain.

Your way sounds like it would work as well though, this is just another
option for a truly new install.

Hello to all,

Here's my situation:

I have a working 2000 AD domain with 2 domain controllers. I want to do

an "in-place" upgrade to 2003 via the following method. Any
thoughts/comments on this method or better methods are openly accepted.

Method:
Shutdown DC 2 and rebuild with a fresh install of 2003.
Once DC 2 is back up and running/replicating with DC 1, upgrade DC 1 to 2003.
After both are running 2003/communicating with no errors, shutdown DC 1

and redo with new 2003. (Transfer FSMO roles)

That's the general idea for upgrading without having to just upgrade.

It's always best to have fresh installs in my opinion. Does anyone see any
major problems with this approach or have any better ideas?