Add Windows 2000 member server to domain

[wtotten]

I installed Windows Server 2003 R2 and made it the domain controller. There is a Windows 2000 server on the network that is configured as a stand-alone server (just a member of a workgroup). I would like to add the Windows 2000 server to the Windows 2003 domain. Can someone provide me directions on how to accomplish this. Pretty much everything I find on the net speaks to the Windows 2000 server already being a domain controller.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Davetoo]

If you want it to just be a member server, just change it from a Workgroup to the Domain via My Computer - Properties - Name.


I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[LWComputingMVP]

Just join it to the domain - note, you will lose any local permissions you have set. System Control Panel, Computer Name tab.

 

[wtotten]

Thanks for answers. However, I should have been more exacting in my original message; my goal is to make the Windows 2000 a secondary domain controller so I can use the AD across both servers (only need to create users, etc. once).

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Davetoo]

Upgrade it (fresh install) to Windows 2003 server, then dcpromo it into the domain.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[wtotten]

Thanks Davetoo, but that's not possible. I can't upgrade it because the client won't spend any more money.

 

[LWComputingMVP]

I've not done this, BUT assuming your 2003 domain is not a NATIVE 2003 domain (Native in terms of functional level - see

http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...ae6c-4af8-80f1-9b3c046022311033.mspx?mfr=true

) then you should be able to FIRST join it to the domain as we have suggested, THEN run DCPROMO and make it an additional DC in your domain. I would recommend you test this first in a test environment. I would also expect if it wouldn't work, you would be notified with an error message during the attempted DCPROMO.

 

[Davetoo]

You can run dcpromo on it and if the domain is native 2003 you will get an error message and the promo will fail. But...you risk the possibility of corrupting your 2003 domain "if" something doesn't go right (imagine that with MS if you can).

As a consultant, you should strongly urge your client to do it the right way because having the 2000 server in the mix will only cause you and all subsequent consultants headaches down the road (i.e. with GPO's, etc.). There are some jobs I'll walk away from if the client refuses to do the right thing...after having been there, this is one of them.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[LWComputingMVP]

Well, not sure I'd worry too much about corruption - BUT, I WOULD do a system state backup of the existing DC first, just do you can revert if you must (and make sure you know the Directory Services Restore Mode password).

 

[Davetoo]

I only caution because in one of my test environments (pre-R2) it mangled some AD attributes when I tried this (was playing around with bringing Exchange 2000 up to 2007 when it happened).

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[LWComputingMVP]

Not suggesting you shouldn't be cautious... but, for example, I've done dozens of conversions from basic disks to dynamic disks. The one time it failed was on a FRESH install of Windows Server 2003 (back in 2003) and I had to call MS to get help reverting it back to basic. I think I tried again at another time and it worked. Go figure. I'm not trying to suggest it's perfectly safe - I've done this long enough to know NOTHING is perfectly safe - but with proper precautions (backups and testing), it should work.