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NT 4 to 2000 Active Directory

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by leon_guerrero

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I have a NT4 Single Domain no branch locations all computers on one floor. 1 - NT4 PDC, 2 - NT4 member servers, 5 - W2K member servers, 50 NT4 workstations, and 50 W2K Pro workstations. We want to upgrade to W2K Active Directory. What would be the best way to migrate over to W2K active directory? I was thinking of doing it this way:

1. Put on the network a new NT4 BDC and sync it up with the PDC. Take it off the network as a failover.
2. Upgrade NT4 PDC to W2K w/ active directory
3. Upgrade one of the other W2K servers to a domain controller (Better machine than original PDC).
4. Take the original PDC offline (Older machine that we want to retire).
5. Install Active Directory Client on all NT4 workstations (until we have the budgetto upgrade to W2K Pro on all workstations)

Please help with some advice on how to best implement active directory for our current network setup. Thanks

9 replies

by maxwell edison

Greetings,

It's recommended that you NOT "upgrade" the NT4 PDC to Win2k.

Create a NEW clean install of Windows 2000 Active Directory. Move the user accounts to that new domain, leaving the old NT domain in place "just in case".

Maxwell

by maxwell edison

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Some helpful and informative links:

http://www.winntmag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=21422

http://www.winntmag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?TopicID=2

http://www.microsoft.com/Seminar/1033/19990819TQN1001JN1/Seminar.htm

(REMOVE SPACES from the pasted URLs.)

Maxwell

by joseph moore

My opinion on your steps:
1) Definiately YES! The absolute first step to be done.
2) Yes. Install DNS also.
3) Yes. Make sure to select the option to allow pre-Windows 2000 machines to access the server. Install DNS on this machine, and set it upto be in charge of the scope from the other server. When you bring the old PDC offline, you will need this DC to be the DNS server (unless you want another machine to just run DNS; that is fine too).
4) Almost. After step 3, open up Active Directory Sites and Services Manager MMC Snap-In and transfer all FSMO roles (including PDC Emulator role) from the old PDC (which is now Win2K) to the new Domain Controller. Then, run DCPROMO on the old PDC to remove it as a Domain Controller. Then you can take it offline and do whatever you want with it, i.e. doorstop, placemat, juggling object, etc.
5) There is no AD client for NT4 systems. That is why the PDC Emulator role is essential. With this role, the 2000 server will allow NT4 systems to authenticate off of it.

Hope this helps.

by huckleberryhound

Go with answer number two if you want to keep your user accounts with passwords and all of your groups and printers. But to clarify his point number 5 there is an Active Directory client for NT 4.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/evaluation/news/bulletins/adextension.asp

The Active Directory client for 9x machines is located on the W2K server CD.

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