Using Windows 2000 server as a BDC in an NT Domain

[cmatiella]

Hello you all,

I currently have a Windows NT domian that has a PDC and a BDC. The
drive in the PDC crashed. I promoted the BDC to PDC. I'm thinking
that this is a good time to upgrade to Active Directory. I do not
plan to use the original PDC or the current PDC domain controllers.
Both of them will be retired.

I have one other box the is a Windows NT member server and two other
boxes that are Windows 2000 member servers. ALL of my servers are in
production.

What I would like to do is: Make one of the Windoes 2000 boxes a BDC,
install upgrade the current NT PDC to Windows 2000 with AD, move all
roles/functions to the Windows 2000 box that is the current BDC for
the NT domain and then retire the old NT box.

Can this be done without a lot of problems?

Is there a better way to do this migration to AD?

Right now, I do not have to resources to purchase a new box to install
as NT BDC and then upgrade to AD.

All help is appreciated.

Thanks,
CEM ([email protected])

 

[Bjorn Landemoo]

CEM

No, this cannot be easily done, as you cannot promote a Win2000 server to
BDC in an NT4 domain. What you could do is to temporary use a couple of
client computers as backup BDC's while upgrading your current PDC. Before
you start the upgrade, you probably would take one BDC off line as a
fallback option if anything would go wrong.

This MS Knowledge Base article, and the web site it refers to, might help
you:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=296480

Best regards

Bjorn

 

[Amit Mantri [MSFT]]

Hi ,
Hope you find this Kb article helpful.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;296480&Product=win20
00#Task1

HOW TO: Upgrade a Windows NT 4.0-Based PDC to a Windows 2000-Based Domain
Controller
View products that this article applies to.
This article was previously published under Q296480
IN THIS TASK
SUMMARY
Upgrade an Existing NT 4.0 PDC to Windows 2000
Upgrade a New NT 4.0 Instatllation to Windows 2000
REFERENCES
SUMMARY
This article describes methods you can use to upgrade a Microsoft Windows
NT 4.0-based primary domain controller (PDC) to a Windows 2000-based domain
controller. The first step in the domain upgrade process is to upgrade the
PDC to Windows 2000 Server. Use one of the following methods to upgrade the
Windows NT 4.0-based PDC to a Windows 2000-based domain controller.

back to the top
Upgrade an Existing NT 4.0 PDC to Windows 2000
Synchronize all the backup domain controllers (BDCs) in the domain so that
they are completely up-to-date. Consider taking one of the BDCs offline to
preserve a replica of the Security Accounts Manager (SAM).
Make sure that no unnecessary programs are running before you go to the
next step. For example, make sure that anti-virus software is disabled.
Make sure that there is no DNS suffix configured in the TCP/IP properties
for the local area connection unless you are running a slipstreamed copy of
Windows 2000 that includes Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3).
Insert the Windows 2000 Server or Advanced Server CD-ROM in the CD-ROM
drive on the PDC. The Windows 2000 Installation Wizard starts and then asks
whether you want to upgrade the system to Windows 2000. Click Yes.
When the wizard asks whether you to upgrade the system or create a new
installation, click Next to upgrade.
Accept the license agreement, and then click Next.
Click Upgrade the file system (to NTFS5), and then click Next.
After the system copies necessary system files and then restarts, the rest
of the upgrade process runs automatically.
After the upgrade is complete, the server restarts, and then the Active
Directory Installation Wizard starts automatically. In the wizard, specify
the appropriate Active Directory options.
back to the top
Upgrade a New NT 4.0 Installation to Windows 2000
Install Windows NT Server 4.0. During the installation, specify the options
necessary to make the new computer a backup domain controller.
In Server Manager, promote the BDC to PDC.
Check to make sure that there are no errors in the event logs and that SAM
replication is completing successfully.
Use the steps that are listed Method 1 to upgrade the PDC to Windows 2000.
back to the top
REFERENCES
For additional information about completing the process, refer to the
domain migration cookbook at the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/planning/activedirectory/cookb
ook.asp

For additional information, click the article numbers below to view the
articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
238369 How to Promote and Demote Domain Controllers in Windows 2000

237675 Setting Up the Domain Name System for Active Directory

216899 Best Practice Methods for Windows 2000 Domain Controller Setup



This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


Regards,
Amit Mantri