Windows 2000 AD upgrade to Windows 2003 2

[SCantoria]

I have built a Windows 2003 Server and have joined the domain. During the ADPromo process I got an error because the forest is not prepared for installing Windows Server 2003. I know I need to run "ADPrep /ForestPrep" but I do not know where to find "ADPrep". Please help.

Thanks,
Steve C.

 

[LWComputingMVP]

There's more to it than just running ADPREP - and if it's R2, there's more to it than just running as many people may think.

Here are some links that should get you going for upgrading a 2000 domain to 2003:

Common Mistakes When Upgrading a Windows 2000 Domain To a Windows 2003 Domain

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555040

Hotfixes to install before you run adprep /Forestprep on a Windows 2000 domain controller to prepare the Forest and domains for the addition of Windows Server 2003-based domain controllers

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=331161

Commodore.ca | Windows | How To Upgrade Windows 2000 Domain to Windows 2003 Server
Quote from the top of this article: "Several glossy Microsoft presenters have stated that all you need to do to complete a Windows 2003 Domain upgrade is run ADPREP and then upgrade away. This may work for very small / simple environments but it is definitely not good advice for most companies. After upgrading five servers in two unrelated domains and installing many fresh copies of 2003 I can say that I personally would not skip a single step in the process I have developed below."

http://www.commodore.ca/windows/windows_2003_upgrade.htm

How can I transfer some or all of the FSMO Roles from one DC to another?

http://www.petri.co.il/transferring_fsmo_roles.htm

How To Create or Move a Global Catalog in Windows 2000

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

[If you run Exchange 2000] Windows Server 2003 adprep /forestprep Command Causes Mangled Attributes in Windows 2000 Forests That Contain Exchange 2000 Servers

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=314649

Windows Server 2003 Upgrade Assistance Center

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/upgrading/nt4/upgradeassistance/default.mspx

[If using R2 release of Windows 2003] Extending Your Active Directory Schema for New Features in Windows Server 2003 R2

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...03-84DD-480F-98F9-526EC09E9BA8&displaylang=en

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

How can I move a DHCP database from one server to another?

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/13473/13473.html

How can I move DNS from one Windows 2000 Server to another Windows 2000 Server?
(Two Related if going 2000 to 2003 - read both before moving)

http://www.jsifaq.com/subG/TIP3300/rh3357.htm

http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBN/tip6700/rh6731.htm

 

[ITPangaeaArchitect]

run from the schema fsmo master

its on win2003 media in the i386 directory
its best to specify the entire path to the file when running it whether using run line or command line



-Brandon Wilson
MCSE00/03, MCSA:Messaging00, MCSA03, A+
Sr. Infrastructure Management Analyst
Distributed Systems Engineering
ACS, Inc.

 

[Mannstech]

Hi,

Just following on from this thread, if I'm just adding a new 2003 server to an existing 2000 domain does this mean it's a "domain upgrade" (as per this thread's title)? Sorry, I'm not sure if this is one and the same.

Also, if you add a new 2003 server to a 2000 domain, should you promote the new domain controller to a PDC or is it best to leave it as a BDC?

As I have to do this on our network in a couple of weeks time, I'd be most grateful for clarification on the above!

Many thanks.

 

[ITPangaeaArchitect]

theres no such thing as a BDC since the NT days FSMO roles now

to add a 2003 member server to a 2000 domain is not a domain upgrade nor does it require anything more than a typical domain join
to add a 2003 domain controller, the adprep functions effectively upgrade your schema to a windows 2003 level. it is not required to make the 2003 DC a PDC, but it is typically best to do so in order to allow for the upgrade of the other domain controllers, if an upgrade will take place on those.
you also want to be sure to use the proper DNS method, that is, the pdc points to itself and itself only for DNS with defaults on DNS tab of advanced tcp/ip props, and all other DCs face the PDC as preferred DNS and themselves as alternates..this is especially important if you have Win2k DCs...google on DNS island
my recommendation would be to move the PDCe FSMO role over, make the new DC a GC, and when you are ready to upgrade the rest of the DCs, then move the other FSMO roles over to the 2k3 DC temporarily
the infrastructure master role should not be on a GC unless there is only one DC or all DCs are GCs...that is why you should wait until just before upgrading the other DCs to move the rest of the roles over...you can effectively move the others over with no problem though

-Brandon Wilson
MCSE00/03, MCSA:Messaging00, MCSA03, A+
Sr. Infrastructure Management Analyst
Distributed Systems Engineering
ACS, Inc.

 

[Mannstech]

Many thanks Brandon, that's really helpful and makes a lot of sense... my only other question though, is do you think I need to worry about moving the new DC to a GC? Our network is only very small (1 domain, 1 x 2000 DC & 15 users) and my understanding is that GC's are really for multi-domain sites... is that correct?

Thanks.

 

[ITPangaeaArchitect]

no

publicly what is written is that a GC is used for universal group membership checking..this is mostly true, however, it also does checks against global groups..the same goes for universal group membership caching...its true name should be global and universal group membership caching

it does not need to become a GC immediately, but before the upgrade of the other DCs it must become one

this means flipping the checkbox to make it a GC, waiting 5 or so minutes for the ntds general 1119 event in the directory service log, and then rebooting...at that point you can begin safely demoting the old DCs to prepare them for upgrades..this assumes you had previously moved the fsmo roles as i described before.


i beleive what you are thinking of regarding GCs and muyltiple sites is GCs and multiple domains...it does track subsets of attributes for all objects within a forest, so i can query a DC and return a user name in a child or grandchild domain.

-Brandon Wilson
MCSE00/03, MCSA:Messaging00, MCSA03, A+
Sr. Infrastructure Management Analyst
Distributed Systems Engineering
ACS, Inc.

 

[Mannstech]

Great stuff... thanks again Brandon, my knowledge of server 2003 has just been greatly improved!

 

[ITPangaeaArchitect]

any time

-Brandon Wilson
MCSE00/03, MCSA:Messaging00, MCSA03, A+
Sr. Infrastructure Management Analyst
Distributed Systems Engineering
ACS, Inc.