Windows 2000 Server DC Hard Drive Upgrade Process

[Guest]

I have a Windows 2000 Server that needs to be upgraded. I'd like to just
Ghost it to a new machine, but I want to make sure I haven't forgotten about
any important considerations.

It's a single-domain, single-site installation; servers are all 2K Server,
and clients are all 2K Pro. We also have one 2K3 Server, one XP desktop, and
a bunch of wireless XP laptops on the subnet, just sharing Internet access,
but not members of the domain. The domain is Windows 2000 native.

This machine is one of two domain controllers, and I'm not certain of which
roles might be installed on it. Both DCs are DNS servers, and all drives are
formatted NTFS. This machine used to be our DHCP server, but I have moved
that service to the other DC. This machine is also a file and print server,
and stores all of the roaming user profiles, user home folders, and various
other shared folders. There are several applications, links, and shortcuts
deployed on the network that depend on being able to access files and folders
on this machine via IP address, \\machine\share name, and FQDN, so I'd like
to keep that all unchanged.

If I make a Ghost image of the machine onto new hardware and then turn off
the old server before restarting the new server, will I experience any
unanticipated difficulties? The new machine should get the same name and IP
address, and all the shares and permissions should be retained, right?
Should I demote it before Ghosting it and then promote the new one? Should I
transfer any of the forest or domain roles before Ghosting it? Will I have
any problems if the new machine has a different SID?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[Cary Shultz [A.D. MVP]]

Short answer - at best you would ghost the WIN2000 Server installation. You
would then run the dcpromo process to make it a Domain Controller. It would
get all of the Active Directory 'stuff' from the existing Domain Controller.
You might then restore from backup. Just make sure to make this new DC also
a DNS Server as well as a Global Catalog Server.

Ghosting with Domain Controllers is usually not a really good idea.....

--
Cary W. Shultz
Roanoke, VA 24014
Microsoft Active Directory MVP

http://www.activedirectory-win2000.com
http://www.grouppolicy-win2000.com



"(e-mail address removed)"

 

[Guest]

If I understand what you're suggesting, you're saying to demote the machine
before Ghosting it. After I ghost it, I should DCPromo it back to being a
DC, at which time I'll need to reinstall DNS and GC. Is that correct?

Why are you suggesting I restore from backup after that? The Ghosting
process would bring everything over, wouldn't it?