NT PDC to 2000 DC 1

[rotaman]

Hello all,

I am currently looking into changing my PDC, as it is old, and is bound to die anyday. I have a Windows 2000 Server SP4 sitting around. My question is this: How to I transfer the PDC from my old NT 4.0 server to the windows 2000 SP4 server?

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

You would not be able to transfer it between servers. You would either do an in-place upgrade or a domain migration from your old NT 4 domain to a new 2000 or 2003 AD.

Research AD Upgrade and Migration on Microsoft's web-site to assist you in making the correct choice.

In a nutshell:
An upgrade allows you to keep the same domain name and it imports your NT 4 user, computer, and security groups into AD.

A migration requires you to creat a separate AD domian and you would import your object from NT to AD.

 

[LWComputingMVP]

I strongly recommend you create an NT4 BDC out of another system (this process is network card sensitive - if you must, you can do this using Virtual PC or VMWare and installing NT4 on that - the NT setup must recognize the Network card to create a BDC; the option to provide drivers doesn't always work as desired for this). Then turn the new BDC into the PDC in Server Manager, and finally, upgrade the new server to Windows 2000 - this will give you Active Directory. Then you can retire the old server. (It's also recommended that you make a backup domain controller (so possibly a second one - or backup the Virtual PC/VMWare image before proceeding with the 2000 upgrade - so that if anything goes wrong (and I've never seen anything go wrong) you can easily recover your network.

Further, you need to understand the importance of DNS in an Active Directory domain - it is VITAL. You need to run a DNS server and your servers and workstations need to use it - that server and ONLY that server. Active Directory provides services through DNS - if you don't configure DNS correctly you could have a wide variety of problems with authentication, log on times, intermittantly or constantly.

Here are a couple of links for you on upgrading to 2000:
How To Upgrade a Windows NT 4.0-Based PDC to a Windows Server 2003-Based Domain Controller

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326209/en-us

How to move a DHCP database from a computer that is running Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 to a computer that is running Windows Server 2003

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=325473

Here's a few links on DNS you should read before upgrading:
10 DNS Errors That Will Kill Your Network

http://mcpmag.com/features/article.asp?EditorialsID=413

Frequently Asked Questions About Windows 2000 DNS and Windows Server 2003 DNS

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=291382

Best practices for DNS client settings in Windows 2000 Server and in Windows Server 2003

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=825036

How to Verify the Creation of SRV Records for a Domain Controller

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=241515

SRV Resource Records May Not Be Created on Domain Controller

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=239897

How Domain Controllers Are Located in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314861

How to Verify an Active Directory Installation in Windows Server 2003

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=816106

Finally, here's some links on 2000/2003 (Active Directory) - it's VERY different from NT4 and you should understand these changes before upgrading/migrating:
Operations Master - FSMO Roles

http://www.svrops.com/svrops/documents/fsmo.htm

How to create or move a Global Catalog in Windows Server

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313994

 

[rotaman]

wow, thanks for the fast reply, and all the relevant information. I'm going to do some research, and get back to you if I have any questions.

Cheers,