restoring system state on a domain controller with different hardware

[CXGJarrod]

To give you a little background:

We have finally decided to upgrade our main Active Directory/Fileserver to new hardware. The old machine is on its last legs and we have purchased new hardware and have a copy of Win2k server on it. I have been looking around on how to restore active directory on the new machine from the system state of the old machine and have only found the following:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tre...t1/dsgch09.asp

Now, it only has a small section about restoring active directory to a different machine than the system state was taken from so I want to ask, has anyone done this before? Should the new server be a backup domain controller before attempting the system state restore?

[jeffs72]

If I were you, here is what I'd do, and have done before....

Take the new machine, build it up, service pack it and patch it, dcpromo it and then let the directory synch (ie wait a little bit). Then run dcpromo on the old machine and demote it.

One question though...you aren't running Exchange on that server are you? Or have exchange in your environment?

Does the new server need to have the same name as the old one?

[CXGJarrod]

The new computer does need to have the same network name as the old one. We are not running Exchange and the new machine has every critical update from MS installed on it.

[jeffs72]

Oh well, that makes it a little more sticky then.

Here, this article should answer all your questions:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...roduct=win2000

Although note the warning:

"Warning The procedure in this article is intended for disaster recovery of a single domain when no other domain controllers are available. This procedure is not intended as a means to move domain controllers from old hardware platforms to new hardware platforms in a multiple-domain environment. It is intended for use only when disaster recovery is required. After you recover the domain controller, do not keep the recovered domain controller in production. The purpose of this recovery is to get the Active Directory to function and to bring new domain controllers online. After a new domain controller is online, demote the recovered server, remove it from the domain, and then reinstall Windows. "

[oxygen]

Correct me if i am wrong............can't you add the new comp as another domain controller and after all replication takes place from old comp to the new......take off the old comp..........

[jeffs72]

You can, BUT the name will be different. You can't change the name of a DC.

Ok CXGJarrod, I think I really really found the solution in this article. It takes into account DC issues, and looks to not be a stop-gap fix:


http://support.microsoft.com/default...roduct=win2000

[CXGJarrod]

Originally posted here by jeffs72
You can, BUT the name will be different. You can't change the name of a DC.

Ok CXGJarrod, I think I really really found the solution in this article. It takes into account DC issues, and looks to not be a stop-gap fix:


http://support.microsoft.com/default...roduct=win2000

I found that article the other day, but could not find it today. (Didnt bookmark it) Thanks!
Edit: The only thing I just noticed is the following: "Important This procedure is not recommended for domain controllers."

[jeffs72]

Yeah that article is pretty well thought out. It looks to me like you can actually do the restore on the alternate hardware while your original DC is still running, make sure it works (without having it plugged into the network of course, due to naming issues and ip conflicts) and then down the old and power up the new.

Good luck. Hope it turns out ok.

[thehorse13]

LOL, one of the new features of W2K3 is that this little hangup is solved. They allow you to change the name of a DC. CXG, in the true nature of MS, just upgrade and all of your problems will be solved .

Sorry, I had to do it!

[CXGJarrod]

Originally posted here by thehorse13
LOL, one of the new features of W2K3 is that this little hangup is solved. They allow you to change the name of a DC. CXG, in the true nature of MS, just upgrade and all of your problems will be solved .

Sorry, I had to do it!

Well, that is nice that they fixed this in 2003, but us poor bastards who have 2000 are still stuck doing it the old manual way. I wish Bill Gates could come and talk with our CFO on why we should spend all this money on 2003.