demoting to BDC

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

summers - 26 Jul 2004 04:56 GMT

I am adding a new server running Server 2003 to my
domain. I want to demote my current NT server to a BDC
so I can use the active directory services available with
2003 and eventually remove the NT server from my domain.
How can I demote it? The options to demote are not
highlighted in server manager.

Reply to this Message

Danny Sanders - 26 Jul 2004 16:57 GMT

If you are moving to AD this is not the way.

When installing AD you are asked if this is the first DC in the domain, if
you say no you are required to point this server to an AD DC, which you
don't have, or the install will fail. If you say yes you are creating a new
domain. If you do this on *any* *other* server in the NT 4.0 domain except
the PDC, you will NOT carry the SID of your NT 4.0 domain into the new Win
2k3 domain. Even if you name them the same the SID is different. Different
SID = different domain. You will have to join all your users to the new
domain, their profile will change.

Basically you either upgrade to Win 2k3 by upgrading your existing PDC
first.
See:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326209&Product=winsvr2003

Or Migrate to Win 2k3 by setting up the two domains side by side on the same
wire, create a trust between the two domain and use ADMT to migrate users to
the new W 2k3 domain.
See:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;325851&Product=winsvr2003

There are pros and cons for each method. You need to be aware of them before
hand. You have to make some decisions that may require a format and
reinstall to recover from.
I would suggest taking a week or two and research each method to see which
one fits your environment.
You might want to brush up on DNS. To get AD up and running requires that
DNS be set up properly.
See:

How to: Configure DNS for Internet Access In Windows 2000

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;300202

Setting Up the Domain Name System for Active Directory

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;237675

hth

DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

> I am adding a new server running Server 2003 to my
> domain. I want to demote my current NT server to a BDC
> so I can use the active directory services available with
> 2003 and eventually remove the NT server from my domain.
> How can I demote it? The options to demote are not
> highlighted in server manager.

Reply to this Message

Jiri Tuma - 26 Jul 2004 18:03 GMT

I think the only way is to do in-place upgrade of NT PDC machine to w2K3 AD
DC

However for safe operation (as in-place upgrade is dangerous and can left
system unstable or crashed) it is recommended to do this upgrade on
dedicated temporary machine.

Choose machine that is hardware compatible with both windows NT and W2K3
server OS, install it as BDC of current NT domain, let it synchronize and
promote it to PDC (this will demote your current PDC to BDC and you can shut
it down to be sure it will not been affected by upgrade). Make in-place
upgrade on temporary machine bring up your new w2K3 and use DC promote to
change roles of your W2K3 servers. After this you can remove temporary
machine from network.

> If you are moving to AD this is not the way.
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> first.
> See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326209&Product=winsv
r2003

> Or Migrate to Win 2k3 by setting up the two domains side by side on the same
> wire, create a trust between the two domain and use ADMT to migrate users to
> the new W 2k3 domain.
> See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;325851&Product=winsv
r2003

> There are pros and cons for each method. You need to be aware of them before
> hand. You have to make some decisions that may require a format and
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> > How can I demote it? The options to demote are not
> > highlighted in server manager.

Reply to this Message