Move SAM from NT to 2000

You NT Stand Alone server is an NT 4.0 Domain Controller. NT 4.0 Domain controllers keep a local copy of the SAM database as you have mentioned. In Windows 2000, this database is called Active Directory. If you want to transfer the database from NT to 2000, you need to install another NT 4.0 Domain Controller. Promote the domain controller to a PDC. After promotion, install Windows 2000 Server. This will recognize that this is an upgrade from an NT 4.0 PDC and make itself a PDC emulator for the2000 Domain. This also creates Active Directory and imports all your user and computer accounts. You should then think about decommissioning the old NT 4.0 domain controller (as there is no way to demote it to a member server without a rebuild). Youalso want to consider building another 2000 Server for Global Catalog, etc.. There is a lot more then what I have touched on here. You may want to do some further investigation before you make this move.

There is no way to "copy" the SAM to a Windows 2000 server and have it authenticate users in this manner without following the above procedure.

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