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Windows 2000 Server Installation

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by djf

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I want to perform a "clean" installation of Windows 2000 rather than an upgrade on my NT4 SP 6 server (current PDC), but I don't want to have to recreate my users and deal with file permissions. Can I turn off my current PDC, thereby promoting an NT4 BDC to PDC, and then install Windows 2000 on the current PDC, making it a member server and promoting it once it has synchronized? Thanks so much for any help.

8 replies

by henrywi

yes you can promote the nt bdc to pdc and then install windows 2000 as stand alone server, but i suggest you that you make your win2k the DC and install AD on it on mixed modes so you can migrates you users to the win2k DC its more flexible and management can be more easy check ms website, it said win2k on how to upgrade to win2k and make it a DC

by acattr

kill server1 pdc

make server2 bdc - new PDC

Install windows 2000 on server1

upgrade server2 to windows 2000

run dcpromo on server1 to make it a DC. also follow http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q255690 to move all FSMO roles to server1

run dcpromo on server2 to make it a member server while connected to network.

kill server2 and reinstall as BDC NT40 or clean windows 2000 DC.

by timwalsh

Rules for Win2K and Active Direectory (AD):

1. An NT4 PDC CANNOT exist in a Win2K domain.
2. Win2K Domain Controllers (DCs) CANNOT exist in an NT4 domain.
3. To migrate an NT4 domain (to include users and other security related settigs), youMUST install Win2K (and AD) on the NT4 PDC.
4. NT4 BDCs can exist in a Win2K domain.

There are no work-arounds to these rules.

You could do the following:
1. Promote one of your BDCs to PDC (after forcing synchronization).
2. Remove youroriginal PDC from the network.
3. Install Win2K (and AD) on your new PDC (which will migrate all user information and security settings).
4. Wipe the drive and install Win2K on your original PDC.
5. Connect the Win2K server to the network, connect it to the new domain, and run dcpromo (wich will install AD and create another Win2K DC).
6. Transfer all AD FSMO roles to this DC if you want it to be your main DC (the PDC/BDC relationship doesn't exist in Win2K).

You will still lose all file permissions that existed on your original PDC. File permission relating to each computer reside on that computer. Ther is no cetralized database of file permissions for the domain.

by djf

This answer was the most helpful, but I could not connect the original PDC with Win2K installed to the domain to pick up my users and settings.

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