> Hi,
> Here is our situation, we have a windows 2000 Mixed mode Active
> Directory, on 4 physical site. We also have Microsoft Exchange 2000
> but it is
> no longer use, we use Lotus Domino. The 5 FSMO role are on 2 DC
> located in the main site data center. we have 1 DC on each site, for a
> total of 5. The Exchange server is located on another machine. all DC
> are Windows 2000 SP4, we only have one remaining member server which
> is NT4. This server won't be needed anymore after april 15.
>
> My goal are:
> - Get rid of the Exchange server.
> - Upgrade to AD Scheme 2003.
> - Upgrade the two main DC (the one with FSMO) to Win 2003.
> - Upgrade later the remaining DC to 2003.
> 1) Get rid of Exchange Server
> - Backup the server
> - Uninstall Exchange using the Wizard add/remove program.
> - Use DCPromo to Demote the server to Member server (not sure it
> is, the
> server appear in Site and Service, do i need to demote it?)
> - Remove the server from the domain.
> - Check with ADSI Edit if anything referring to the Exchange
> server and
> delete it?
> 2) - Upgrade to AD 2003.
> - Had previously set the domain to native mode.
> - Backup all system state of all dc.
> - Use the PDC DC with Windows 2003 CDROM.
> - DCPromo /ForestPrep
> - DCPromo /DomainPrep
> - Do i have to upgrade this Machine using the Win 2003
> CDROM, or
> can i use a Windows 2003 Member server, do DCPromo and then move the
> FSMO
> Role to this server?
>
> 3) Upgrade the remaining DC.
> - I will replace the old DC with new machine, so i will simply
> add new
> DC from Windows 2003 Member server and demote old one.
> Should i consider Windows Active directory 2008, is it safer to do the
> step to the AD 2003 before upgrading to 2008?
>
> Is there any catch up that can bring a crash that i should look before
> proceeding witht the upgrade?
>
> Thank you.
>

"Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]" wrote:

> Hello Guillaume,
>
> You're plan sounds ok. Some basic points now, that you have to keep in mind.
>
> Upgrading takes time and should be done in times with lower user activity
> if possible.
>
> NT4 member servers will coexist, even with 2008.
>
> Exchange, even if you will remove the server from the domain the schema is
> and will stay changed so you have to check this one:
> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314649
>
> Inplace upgrade will work without problem from 2000 to 2003, if you like
> to do it that way. Instead of doing an inplace upgrade from the 2000 DC's,
> i prefer to add a fresh installed 2003 member to the domain and promote it
> as additional DC, move the FSMO roles to it, make it Global catalog and DNS
> server. This way you can be sure no old installation parts are interfere
> with the 2003 DC.
>
> You can NOT do an inplace upgrade from a 2000 DC to a 2008 DC, therefore
> you have to add the 2008 as a member to the domain and promote it as additional
> DC. You don't have to go over 2003 to 2008, not needed.
>
> Also check on all DC's that they are healthy and that replication is working,
> therefore install the support\tools\suptools.msi from the 2000/2003 installation
> disk and run "dcdiag /v", "netdiag /v" and "repadmin /showrepl" from a command
> prompt on all DC's. Also you can start "replmon" from the run line, a GUI
> based tool to check replication.
>
> For DNS i would switch to AD integrated zones, if not done, so all DC/DNS
> servers are writable and have the same DNS information through AD replication.
>
> You're steps:
> 1.
> - exchange has to be removed BEFORE demoting
> - if you remove exchange, as told before the schema changes will stay, no
> problem if you check/change with the article above.
> - if you demote a domain controller and it works correct, the AD database
> will be cleaned from it
> - always give time for replication of that to the other DC's after such major
> steps
> - demoting a DC will not delete it from AD sites and services, you have to
> do it manual
> - also you have to check all zones in DNS and the DNS server list that the
> server is cleared if it was DNS server
> - no need for using ADSIedit
>
> 2.
> - the adprep /forestprep command you have to run on the schema master for
> the schema change to version 30(2003) or if you use 2003 R2 to version 31
> from the second R2 disk
> - the adprep /domainprep command you have to run on the infrastructure master
> after adprep /forestprep command has been run succesful, also give time for
> replication
> - also see here about  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755958.aspx
> - if you think about 2008 you should also run adprep /rodcprep which prepare
> for read-only domain controllers  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731728.aspx
> - all adprep commands has to run from the newer OS version installation disk
> on the appropriate DC which has the needed FSMO role, check with "netdom
> query fsmo" from a command prompt
>
> 3.
> - ok, make sure the changes are all replicated to the other DC's with the
> tools above
>
>
> Best regards
>
> Meinolf Weber
> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
> no rights.
> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>
>
> > Hi,
> > Here is our situation, we have a windows 2000 Mixed mode Active
> > Directory, on 4 physical site. We also have Microsoft Exchange 2000
> > but it is
> > no longer use, we use Lotus Domino. The 5 FSMO role are on 2 DC
> > located in the main site data center. we have 1 DC on each site, for a
> > total of 5. The Exchange server is located on another machine. all DC
> > are Windows 2000 SP4, we only have one remaining member server which
> > is NT4. This server won't be needed anymore after april 15.
> >
> > My goal are:
> > - Get rid of the Exchange server.
> > - Upgrade to AD Scheme 2003.
> > - Upgrade the two main DC (the one with FSMO) to Win 2003.
> > - Upgrade later the remaining DC to 2003.
> > 1) Get rid of Exchange Server
> > - Backup the server
> > - Uninstall Exchange using the Wizard add/remove program.
> > - Use DCPromo to Demote the server to Member server (not sure it
> > is, the
> > server appear in Site and Service, do i need to demote it?)
> > - Remove the server from the domain.
> > - Check with ADSI Edit if anything referring to the Exchange
> > server and
> > delete it?
> > 2) - Upgrade to AD 2003.
> > - Had previously set the domain to native mode.
> > - Backup all system state of all dc.
> > - Use the PDC DC with Windows 2003 CDROM.
> > - DCPromo /ForestPrep
> > - DCPromo /DomainPrep
> > - Do i have to upgrade this Machine using the Win 2003
> > CDROM, or
> > can i use a Windows 2003 Member server, do DCPromo and then move the
> > FSMO
> > Role to this server?
> >
> > 3) Upgrade the remaining DC.
> > - I will replace the old DC with new machine, so i will simply
> > add new
> > DC from Windows 2003 Member server and demote old one.
> > Should i consider Windows Active directory 2008, is it safer to do the
> > step to the AD 2003 before upgrading to 2008?
> >
> > Is there any catch up that can bring a crash that i should look before
> > proceeding witht the upgrade?
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
>
>
>

> Thank you Meinolf for all the good information.
>
> Concerning the Exchange attribute in schema that will get duplicate
> during the forestprep. I could follow the scenario 2 Step but i'm
> wondering.
>
> We won't use Exchange anymore on our domain, should i look to
> completely remove it from schema instead of preparing it so it will
> upgrade to 2003?
>
> I don't want to have to run the adprep from the exchange server cdrom
> before upgrading... In fact i don't have any media for Exchange 2003.
>
> Thank you,
>
> "Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]" wrote:
>
>> Hello Guillaume,
>>
>> You're plan sounds ok. Some basic points now, that you have to keep
>> in mind.
>>
>> Upgrading takes time and should be done in times with lower user
>> activity if possible.
>>
>> NT4 member servers will coexist, even with 2008.
>>
>> Exchange, even if you will remove the server from the domain the
>> schema is and will stay changed so you have to check this one:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314649
>>
>> Inplace upgrade will work without problem from 2000 to 2003, if you
>> like to do it that way. Instead of doing an inplace upgrade from the
>> 2000 DC's, i prefer to add a fresh installed 2003 member to the
>> domain and promote it as additional DC, move the FSMO roles to it,
>> make it Global catalog and DNS server. This way you can be sure no
>> old installation parts are interfere with the 2003 DC.
>>
>> You can NOT do an inplace upgrade from a 2000 DC to a 2008 DC,
>> therefore you have to add the 2008 as a member to the domain and
>> promote it as additional DC. You don't have to go over 2003 to 2008,
>> not needed.
>>
>> Also check on all DC's that they are healthy and that replication is
>> working, therefore install the support\tools\suptools.msi from the
>> 2000/2003 installation disk and run "dcdiag /v", "netdiag /v" and
>> "repadmin /showrepl" from a command prompt on all DC's. Also you can
>> start "replmon" from the run line, a GUI based tool to check
>> replication.
>>
>> For DNS i would switch to AD integrated zones, if not done, so all
>> DC/DNS servers are writable and have the same DNS information through
>> AD replication.
>>
>> You're steps:
>> 1.
>> - exchange has to be removed BEFORE demoting
>> - if you remove exchange, as told before the schema changes will
>> stay, no
>> problem if you check/change with the article above.
>> - if you demote a domain controller and it works correct, the AD
>> database
>> will be cleaned from it
>> - always give time for replication of that to the other DC's after
>> such major
>> steps
>> - demoting a DC will not delete it from AD sites and services, you
>> have to
>> do it manual
>> - also you have to check all zones in DNS and the DNS server list
>> that the
>> server is cleared if it was DNS server
>> - no need for using ADSIedit
>> 2.
>> - the adprep /forestprep command you have to run on the schema master
>> for
>> the schema change to version 30(2003) or if you use 2003 R2 to
>> version 31
>> from the second R2 disk
>> - the adprep /domainprep command you have to run on the
>> infrastructure master
>> after adprep /forestprep command has been run succesful, also give
>> time for
>> replication
>> - also see here about
>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755958.aspx
>> - if you think about 2008 you should also run adprep /rodcprep which
>> prepare
>> for read-only domain controllers
>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731728.aspx
>> - all adprep commands has to run from the newer OS version
>> installation disk
>> on the appropriate DC which has the needed FSMO role, check with
>> "netdom
>> query fsmo" from a command prompt
>> 3.
>> - ok, make sure the changes are all replicated to the other DC's with
>> the
>> tools above
>> Best regards
>>
>> Meinolf Weber
>> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
>> confers
>> no rights.
>> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
>> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>>> Hi,
>>> Here is our situation, we have a windows 2000 Mixed mode Active
>>> Directory, on 4 physical site. We also have Microsoft Exchange 2000
>>> but it is
>>> no longer use, we use Lotus Domino. The 5 FSMO role are on 2 DC
>>> located in the main site data center. we have 1 DC on each site, for
>>> a
>>> total of 5. The Exchange server is located on another machine. all
>>> DC
>>> are Windows 2000 SP4, we only have one remaining member server which
>>> is NT4. This server won't be needed anymore after april 15.
>>> My goal are:
>>> - Get rid of the Exchange server.
>>> - Upgrade to AD Scheme 2003.
>>> - Upgrade the two main DC (the one with FSMO) to Win 2003.
>>> - Upgrade later the remaining DC to 2003.
>>> 1) Get rid of Exchange Server
>>> - Backup the server
>>> - Uninstall Exchange using the Wizard add/remove program.
>>> - Use DCPromo to Demote the server to Member server (not sure it
>>> is, the
>>> server appear in Site and Service, do i need to demote it?)
>>> - Remove the server from the domain.
>>> - Check with ADSI Edit if anything referring to the Exchange
>>> server and
>>> delete it?
>>> 2) - Upgrade to AD 2003.
>>> - Had previously set the domain to native mode.
>>> - Backup all system state of all dc.
>>> - Use the PDC DC with Windows 2003 CDROM.
>>> - DCPromo /ForestPrep
>>> - DCPromo /DomainPrep
>>> - Do i have to upgrade this Machine using the Win 2003
>>> CDROM, or
>>> can i use a Windows 2003 Member server, do DCPromo and then move the
>>> FSMO
>>> Role to this server?
>>> 3) Upgrade the remaining DC.
>>> - I will replace the old DC with new machine, so i will simply
>>> add new
>>> DC from Windows 2003 Member server and demote old one.
>>> Should i consider Windows Active directory 2008, is it safer to do
>>> the
>>> step to the AD 2003 before upgrading to 2008?
>>> Is there any catch up that can bring a crash that i should look
>>> before proceeding witht the upgrade?
>>>
>>> Thank you.
>>>