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WIndows 2003 As A Backup Domain Controller For Windows 2000 Server

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7 replies

by tblack

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We use a Win 2K server for a domain controller.

We put up a Win 2003 server and it joined the domain.

Would like it to serve as a backup domain controller in case the PDC went down.

Found a link to http://www.tech-geeks.org/geeklog/article.php?story=20041223002509333

Not sure if this is all I need to do.

Not sure what this will do to the existing PDC. Will this be disruptive?

Not sure what to do if the PDC ever goes down.

Thanks.

7 replies

by daring

In a Windows 2000 Active Directory domain, there is no PDC vs BDC. They are all just Domain Controllers. This way it's more similar to load balancing than failover. You should be able to set up the 2K3 server as a mixed mode DC. If the 2K3 server is newer and more reliable, I would also transfer FSMO roles to it in case the 2K server dies.

by tblack

Thanks for the quality response!

Here are more questions if you have the time and good heart:

"You should be able to set up the 2K3 server as a mixed mode DC. "

- What does 'mixed mode DC' mean? Is this a special setting that I enter somewhere?

"I would also transfer FSMO roles to it.."

- Do I get to this from Manage Server?

>Not sure if this is all I need to do.

Do I just need to run adprep /forestprep and adprep /domainprep? (see below)

At the end it says, "run the Active Directory wizard as needed for your domain" Any settings I need to look out for?

>Not sure what this will do to the existing PDC. Will this be disruptive?

-My Group Policy snap-in on the 2000K box looks like it is dead or not available. Am I at risk by doing this?

-Will that machine complain about what I'm doing?

-Do the boxes share AD information? Can I enter a new user on either box?

>Not sure what to do if the PDC ever goes down.

-Will the new box just take over automatically?

======================
Here are the instructions on http://www.tech-geeks.org/geeklog/article.php?story=20041223002509333. Is this all I need to do?

"Make sure all your 2000 DC's have SP4 on them. Don't be afraid of all the articles out there that talk about hotfixes and what not. Save yourself the anxiety and get the 2000 DC's on SP4.

"Put the Windows 2003 Server CD in your Master Schema W2K domain controller and copy the I386 directory somewhere on a local drive.

"* Run the following steps with minimal activity on the server.

"Open a command prompt and switch to that I386 directory.

"Type:
adprep /forestprep
It will prompt you to press C then ENTER to continue.
Let this run. It took about 10 minutes for me. You'll see several "command completed successfully" messages along with dots going across the screen.

"Next, wait about 20 minutes and type"
adprep /domainprep
It won't prompt you for anything. It will just do its thing (It took 2 minutes for me)

"You are now ready to add your 2003 domain controller to the 2000 domain. On your 2003 server, run the Active Directory wizard as needed for your domain.

by daring

It sounds like you don't have much experience with Domain Controller. I would suggest you do some reading about how DC's interact, and the different roles they take on. It's not simple anymore, like back in the NT domain days. There are a LOT of things you need to know before proceeding with adding this DC.

Again, there is no PDC or BDC in Active Directory, only DC's. Forget everything you know about PDC's and BDC's, since it's a whole different world.

I have not set up a Win2k3 server on a Win2k domain before, so I don't know the specific tools you will need, but I know it's possible.

by ph9it

I am about to do the same thing. Any feedback
yet?

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