Migrating Win2k Server to new hardware; KB 824125

[GTE]

I'm moving (finally) from a Soyo AT PIII 550 Mhz to a MSI 865G P4 2.8 Mhz.

Has anyone successfully used the method described in the KB article 824125
(basically repairing an installation via re-install)? Seems like it should
work. I don't mind re-installing service packs; what else is there to
re-configure? With plug and play, most of the devices should just
re-install, correct? Any other downside to this method?

What about going into safe mode on the old system, and just removing the old
motherboard specific drivers for the chipset and IDE controller and then
shutting down the system and rebooting into safe mode (first) with the new
motherboard; followed by regular mode?

Finally, this would be for a domain controller for a small network. What
are the biggest problems doing this on a dc?

Thanks.

John

 

[SaltPeter]

I'm moving (finally) from a Soyo AT PIII 550 Mhz to a MSI 865G P4 2.8 Mhz.

Has anyone successfully used the method described in the KB article 824125
(basically repairing an installation via re-install)? Seems like it should
work. I don't mind re-installing service packs; what else is there to
re-configure? With plug and play, most of the devices should just
re-install, correct? Any other downside to this method?

The whole point about the article revolves around the fact that the W2K
hardware abstraction layer(HAL) loads before PnP is up and running. PnP can
redetect peripherals but it can't modify a HAL or any mass storage
controllers.

What about going into safe mode on the old system, and just removing the old
motherboard specific drivers for the chipset and IDE controller and then
shutting down the system and rebooting into safe mode (first) with the new
motherboard; followed by regular mode?

This might suceed only if the HAL is a standard HAL, yours is probably an
ACPI HAL. Since this a DC, trying to safe-mode and cross fingers is suicide.
You should perform a backup, including an AD backup, and then follow the
procedure in KB 824125. Personally, i'ld even check for a bios upgrade for
new board before following the procedure.

Finally, this would be for a domain controller for a small network. What
are the biggest problems doing this on a dc?

The biggest problem? zap the AD directory and therefore the network
altogether.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I'm moving (finally) from a Soyo AT PIII 550 Mhz to a MSI 865G P4 2.8 Mhz.

Has anyone successfully used the method described in the KB article 824125
(basically repairing an installation via re-install)? Seems like it should
work. I don't mind re-installing service packs; what else is there to
re-configure? With plug and play, most of the devices should just
re-install, correct? Any other downside to this method?

What about going into safe mode on the old system, and just removing the old
motherboard specific drivers for the chipset and IDE controller and then
shutting down the system and rebooting into safe mode (first) with the new
motherboard; followed by regular mode?

Finally, this would be for a domain controller for a small network. What
are the biggest problems doing this on a dc?

Thanks.

John

Here is what I would do in such a case:

1. Buy a spare disk of suitable size (they are cheap!), install it as
a slave disk. Create two partitions: Partition 1 (must be as large
as your current system partition), Partition 2 (must be about
60% of your current system partition).

2. Buy a copy of Acronis TrueImage or some other disk imaging
program. This is also cheap.

3. Create an image file of the current system partition of the server.
Park it on Partition 2 created in Step 1 above.

4. Restore this image file to Partition 1 created in Step 1 above.
If it works then you know that you're safe.

5. Follow the steps outlined in KB824125.

If all goes well (as I'm sure it will) then you're home and dry.
If something goes wrong then you can restore your system
from the saved image.

When finished, think about preserving an image of your server
system partition, and updating it twice a year. It certainly beats
re-installing the server in case it should go South . . .

If this was a workstation then I would adopt your other
method: Replace the specific driver for the Master IDE Controller
with a generic driver. However, I consider this method too risky
for a server.

 

[GTE]

Thank you for the responses.

One last question: Would doing a "system state" restore on new hardware
create problems, or are the things on a dc system state backup totally
hardware independent? Thanks.

John