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NT Server 4 coexist with Win 2000 Server

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by daveyuen

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Our company currently using a Windows NT 4 Server PDC and 4 others NT 4 BDC. We have to install a new Windows 2000 Server and 5 Windows 2000 Professional PCs. I wonder the windows 2000 server can act as a BDC in our NT Server network. Also, will there any communication problem between NT server and 2000 server, especially NTFS4 and NTFS5. Thanks!

6 replies

by ceo_race

The answer to your question is no. Windows 2000 will not act as a BDC. I found this out the hard way by trying to upgrade a BDC first before. (After all, nobody wants to mess with the PDC, right?)

Windows 2000 however will work if you make itthe "PDC" and then it will pretend to be an NT4.0 box to all the other BDC's and a 2000 box to the 2000 clients. Then you can gradually upgrade the other BDC's to 2000 and your finished.

Just a thought, but if your not willing to trust upgradingthe PDC, try taking it offline, promoting a BDC, and upgrading it to PDC, then install 2000 to it.

by daveyuen

I wonder can I just pulg the Windows 2000 Server into out existing NT4 network without sepcifing the W2K Server as a domain, is that work? (but the W2K Server is also connected with 4 W2K Professional PC). Thanks!

by green lantern

NO, Never. Win2000 Server will not act as a BDC in an NT 4.0 domain. It can function as a member server or a stand alone server, BUT never a BDC. You will have no problems with shares between the w2k server and the other nt4.0 DC's. You will encounter some problems with the w2k pro machines connecting to the domain. If you are using WINS, this will reduce the problems encountered with the Win2K PRO machines in an NT4.0 domain.
ralph

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