Replacing PDC computer

Just go to server manager and click the button that says promote. if you install NT and have the same software installed your bdc will be promoted to pdc

In this situation, if you PDC is alive, it's very easy to make that !
1. install you new server like BDC
2. Promote the new one to PDC
3. shootdown the server to be replaced
4. In server manager, delete this server !
5. the shares are in the registry key, they are very easy to export this key to the new PDC and keep shares rights and paths : the key is :
hklm-system-curentcontroleset-services-lanmanserver-share.

The problem is one of synchronization. Synchronization takes place from a PDC to a BDC. While you can certainly reload from a backup, if the domain information on the backup is older than what is on the BDC, the next time you synchronize, the older information on the PDC will overwrite the BDC. You are also stuck with an old load of your operating system (to include drivers from the old system that will overwrite drivers for your new system). This could be more trouble than it is worth.
The suggested route by Microsoft is as follows:
1. Force synchronization of the domain.
2. Promote a BDC to PDC. (This is only temporary.) (This also demotes the old PDC to BDC.)
3. Remove the old PDC from the domain. (Don't do anything to it yet. Save it as part of a fallback plan until you get your new server on line and working correctly.)
4. Install your new server as a BDC in the domain and force synchronization between the PDC (former BDC) and the new server.
5. Promote the new server to PDC (which demotes the other server back to BDC).
Shares will have to be rebuilt if this path is followed. To transfer all your data (other than the OS), you have 2 options:
1. selectively restore from backup and enable appropriate shares.
2. Install the hard drive from the old PDC as a secondary drive in your new server and copy the data. Then enable appropriate shares.
With either of these options you will have to re-point clients to the new shares.
Hope this helps and good luck.

Add your new comnputer as a BDC
Promote your new computer to a PDC
Remove original PDC off network, you may want to delete it from Server Manager
Good Luck

If your PDC is still on the net then install the new PDC as a BDC, then promote the new server to PDC. Wait awhile for the accounts to replicate. Then down the old PDC.

If the old PDC is no longer available, promote a BDC to PDC temporarily andthen load the new server as a BDC then promote it.

Install the OS, make a backup of you old server and restore the back up in the new server. If you you have to rename the new server with the same name of the pdc that you are replacing

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