Unable to Dcpromo Win 2003 Server

[jcfrasco]

I have a server that used to run Win NT and I upgraded it to Win 2000. Since it was the PDC of my NT domain the upgrade turn my domain into an Active Directory domain. I now have a more powerful server with Win 2003 installed that is already joined to the domain and I want to make it the domain controller so I can remove the old server from my system. However, when I run DCPROMO it says it is unable to find an active directory domain controller and that it is probably a DNS problem. My DNS server seems to be properly configured but no matter what I change it still doesn't find it. Are there some specific problems associated to this when upgrading to active directory.

 

[ashleym]

If I understand you correctly you have a 2000 server that is running AD, you have a newer server running 2003 you would like to install AD on. You will either have to demote the 2000 server, remove AD, or upgrade it to 2003 and then run dcpromo on your new 2003 server. You must either have AD running on a 2000 or 2003 server, but not both in the same domain.

AM

 

[SelbyGlenn]

You can run a domain with a mixture of 2000 and 2003 DC. Before you can do this though you need to update your 2000 domain with the adprep.exe command Check out this article:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...ndowsserver2003/proddocs/entserver/adprep.asp

It sounds to me though that it's failing before it even gets that far. Is your new 2003 servers Preferred DNS Server setting pointing to the 2000DC? Make sure you've got DNS installed too on your 2003 server. You don't need to configure it, AD will do that for you when you DCPROMO it.

Glenn
BEng MCSE CCA