Currently we have a NT4.0 PDC and 2 NT4.0 BDC's. We also have 3 brand new servers running Server2000 on our domain along with other NT4.0 servers. We do not plan at this time to use Active Directory. I would like to take one of the W2K servers and use it to replace the existing NT4.0 PDC. I will be changing the computer name and IP on the 2K server to be the same as the current PDC. Basically just replace our "old n slow" NT4.0 PDC. Should I promote one of the current NT4.0 BDC's to the PDC which will demote the current PDC to a BDC. And then Backup the files from the old PDC and restore them on the W2K server and change the name and IP of that server "after taking the old PDC off the network" and run with that?
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Replacing NT4.0 PDC with new server2000 machine
- Thread starter Dizz
- Start date
donnie4564
IS-IT--Management
Install NT4 as a bdc on the w2k server (blow away the win 2000 install) Take the PDC offline and promote the new bdc to pdc
It all depends on what you are trying to do. If you want the 2000 server to act as the PDC, then donnie's suggestion is the way to go. If you are simply going to remove the PDC and add the new server as a file server with the same name and IP as the old PDC then yes, you can do it your way.
The issue is that 2000 server as a DC in a mixed environment MUST be acting as the PDC to the domain and the only easy way to do that in an extant NT domain is to upgrade a PDC to Win2K server. In that case, taking a new, speedy machine and installing it as an NT 4.0 BDC, then promoting it to PDC, then upgrading is the cleranest, simplest way to proceed.
The issue is that 2000 server as a DC in a mixed environment MUST be acting as the PDC to the domain and the only easy way to do that in an extant NT domain is to upgrade a PDC to Win2K server. In that case, taking a new, speedy machine and installing it as an NT 4.0 BDC, then promoting it to PDC, then upgrading is the cleranest, simplest way to proceed.
tchaser
IS-IT--Management
- Dec 17, 2001
- 15
If your goal is to run Windows 2000 as a Domain Controller then you have to install active directory. It is my understanding that in the only way to have a Win2k server run as a Domain controller active directory must be installed.
I am currently working in a lab environment on this exact situation. I am testing every aspect of the server upgrade before going through with it on the production servers. Everything that I have read dictates the use of active directory for domain controllers running Win 2000 even in a mixed mode environment. I am still testing the DNS issues surrounding this upgrade. We currently utilize the ISP DNS servers. I will have to utilize the forward lookup zones to accomplish this. I am also thinking that I may be able to use WINS and still utilize the ISP DNS servers already configured on our client machines. I have looked at every aspect of this issue in order to try to stay away from active directory but it doesn't look like it will be possible with our current goal of upgrading all of our Win NT 4.0 servers to Win2k.
Whatever you decide to do please keep us updated so that we may learn from your experience from this situation.
I am currently working in a lab environment on this exact situation. I am testing every aspect of the server upgrade before going through with it on the production servers. Everything that I have read dictates the use of active directory for domain controllers running Win 2000 even in a mixed mode environment. I am still testing the DNS issues surrounding this upgrade. We currently utilize the ISP DNS servers. I will have to utilize the forward lookup zones to accomplish this. I am also thinking that I may be able to use WINS and still utilize the ISP DNS servers already configured on our client machines. I have looked at every aspect of this issue in order to try to stay away from active directory but it doesn't look like it will be possible with our current goal of upgrading all of our Win NT 4.0 servers to Win2k.
Whatever you decide to do please keep us updated so that we may learn from your experience from this situation.
- Thread starter
- #5
I am working on today promoting one of the BDC's to be the PDC and then later taking the old PDC and removing it and putting in the new 2K server. I allready have various programs setup on the 2K server allready so I do not want to blow it away and start over. I am going to wait on Active Directory until I read more on it and how it will work and setup for our environment. I will reply back when all is done and how it went.
donnie4564
IS-IT--Management
Windows 2000 cannot replace a PDC. You can have PDC and BDC on the network mixed with all the w2k servers that you want. However, The only server that can replace a pdc or bdc is a server running NT4. Unless you upgrade your domain to windows 2000, then Active Directory will be on the Windows 2000 Domain Controller, You do not have a choice, when you run dcpromo to create the Domain Controller the AD is installed.
So, you have only one decision, Do you want a NT domain or a 2000 domain?
NT domain uses NT4 servers and can only have one PDC.
Windows 2000 domain cannot have a PDC on the network, However, you can leave the BDC's in place on a 2000 network.
So, you have only one decision, Do you want a NT domain or a 2000 domain?
NT domain uses NT4 servers and can only have one PDC.
Windows 2000 domain cannot have a PDC on the network, However, you can leave the BDC's in place on a 2000 network.
donnie4564:
Your last post interested me. We are moving from small business server 4.5 to sbs2000, doing a fresh install on a new box and transferring the data over to be converted to the sbs apps (exchange primarily).
With sbs 4.5, it had to be the pdc. We have two bdcs, one local for bc backup and one remote to facilitate remote office login.
Installing sbs2000 we are also moving to a w2k domain. Removing the sbs4.5 removes the nt4.0 pdc, leaving the two bdcs. Yourlast comment was:
"Windows 2000 domain cannot have a PDC on the network, However, you can leave the BDC's in place on a 2000 network."
My question is: how straightforward is this? When I drop on the w2k server with sbs2000 and AD, do the two bdcs see it as a pdc and start syncing with it? I can't believe microsoft would make it that simple.
I had envisioned habving to rebuild the two bdcs to see the new w2k domain and have looked in many references but can't find this situation addressed.
Any insight would be appreciated.
Your last post interested me. We are moving from small business server 4.5 to sbs2000, doing a fresh install on a new box and transferring the data over to be converted to the sbs apps (exchange primarily).
With sbs 4.5, it had to be the pdc. We have two bdcs, one local for bc backup and one remote to facilitate remote office login.
Installing sbs2000 we are also moving to a w2k domain. Removing the sbs4.5 removes the nt4.0 pdc, leaving the two bdcs. Yourlast comment was:
"Windows 2000 domain cannot have a PDC on the network, However, you can leave the BDC's in place on a 2000 network."
My question is: how straightforward is this? When I drop on the w2k server with sbs2000 and AD, do the two bdcs see it as a pdc and start syncing with it? I can't believe microsoft would make it that simple.
I had envisioned habving to rebuild the two bdcs to see the new w2k domain and have looked in many references but can't find this situation addressed.
Any insight would be appreciated.
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