Uninstall Active Directory

[lunatiic]

Hi!

I have a Windows 200 Server SP3 as a domain controller with active directory. And I have an Exchange server 5.5 on a Windows 2000 server which is not in the active directory. Now I've heard from our companys owner that we are not supposed to have active directory installed.
My question is.. Is is possible to uninstall Active Directory on my domain controller without losing any account and keep my exchange installation as today? I really dont wanna do this if there is no good answer to this. Thanks in advance!

 

[Davetoo]

Just curious, but why don't they want you to run AD?

 

[Davetoo]

Check into this:

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/w2ksvrun.htm

Just doing another dcpromo on the server running AD should do the trick. Not sure though what will happen to any of the users you've setup in AD.

 

[lunatiic]

Thanks for your fast answer. They want to install active directory next year or so and then implement all servers in our "to come" WAN. They have about 50 LAN that are going to get connected.And then they want to design the active directory with names, domain, organization units and so on..
The problem I have is that the person that installed active directory has left our company and now I'm the one "to blame"... Not very funny..
When I uninstall active directory, then i lose all my accounts, right? And then all users have to rejoin my new domain? And all accounts in exchange has to be rejoined to the new account?

 

[kweh4]

If you have not converted the network to native mode, than you are in good shape. If you still have nt domain controllers on the network, make sure that they have a full copy of the AD database. A normal replication will do this with no sweat. Promote the nt backup dc to pdc. This will automatically demote the 2000 pdc. I just completed the 219 exam two weeks ago. If you need any more help with this, just email me.