Upgrade Server 2000 to Server 2003

Hi all,

This is my plan to upgrade my 2 domain controlers from Windows 2k servers to
Windows 2003 servers. My client has specified they want little down time and
to keep the same static IP's.

I plan to build to new win 2k servers on 2 new dell server machines.
Restore all information from backup onto these 2 machines.
Note the IP information for one of the old domain controlers
Pull the old domain controler off the network
put the new DC on the network with the old DC's IP information.
Then do the same thing with the second old DC and second new DC.
I then plan to do an inplace upgrade of both dc's to Win 2003 server.

Does this sound like a good plan? Is there a better way to go about this.
Any suggestions or any little things you can add to help would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks

Hello Biglifter550,

-Upgrade your schema for 2003 to new version on your schema master:

run adprep /forestprep and adprep /domainprep
from the 2003 install disc on your old schema master to upgrade the schema
for 2003
http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/bc5ebbdb-a8d7-4...-b38a-e

-install 2003 on the new servers and after it run dcpromo to make them additional
DC's in your existing domain

-make both new servers DNS server, Active directory integrated

-move the FSMO roles to one of the new servers:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324801 (applies also to windows 2000)

-make them Global catalog servers:
open Active directory site and services, go to Sites, default first site
name, servers, choose the new one, right click NTDS settings, open properties
and checkmark Global catalog (check event viewer after it, in Directory service
you must find event id 1110 and 1119)

- run dcdiag and netdiag to check for errors

- if everything is running without error you have to demote the old servers,
that it will be removed correctly from the domain, otherwise you get a lot
of replication errors in the event viewer. To demote it, just run dcpromo
on the old dc's and follow the wizard, read carefully!!!


Best regards

Myweb
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.

> Hi all,
>
> This is my plan to upgrade my 2 domain controlers from Windows 2k
> servers to Windows 2003 servers. My client has specified they want
> little down time and to keep the same static IP's.
>
> I plan to build to new win 2k servers on 2 new dell server machines.
> Restore all information from backup onto these 2 machines.
> Note the IP information for one of the old domain controlers
> Pull the old domain controler off the network
> put the new DC on the network with the old DC's IP information.
> Then do the same thing with the second old DC and second new DC.
> I then plan to do an inplace upgrade of both dc's to Win 2003 server.
> Does this sound like a good plan? Is there a better way to go about
> this. Any suggestions or any little things you can add to help would
> be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks
>