I think you should give more details of your problem. Explain what how your NT domain is configured. Are there Windows 2000 Domain Controllers in it? Are there any Windows 2K servers yet.
Do you want this Windows NT 4.0 server to simply become a Windows 2000 server in the same domain? If this is the case, you can UPGRADE the NT 4.0 server to Windows 2000. First make sure that the server meets the minimum requirements. Next, make a full system backup of the server. After that, insert the Windows 2000 CD-ROM and UPGRADE to Windows 2000. After the process completes, your server will have the Windows 2000 OS loaded....and it will still belong to the NT 4.0 domain. It will continue to act as a member server.
If this Windows NT server is a domain controller, you will have to upgrade the PDC first to Windows 2000. This will automatically upgrade the NT 4.0 domain to Windows 2000 (In mixed mode).
Anyway, please give a few more details, and we'll try to help you out. (There are MS migration tools to move computer and accounts from one domain to another...but I don't think this is what you need based on the limited information you provided.)
-hope this helps. Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000
If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please check out
"The new W2K server will be in the same domain. It will REPLACE an existing NT4 BDC. It is essential that all the data and the permissions get replicated exactly to the new server."
Not really understanding any of this PDC / BDC stuff it is difficult to know whether I'm asking the right questions, or he is giving me the right answers.
I asked him:
1. Do you want this Windows NT 4.0 server to simply become a Windows 2000 server in the same domain?
2. Is the Windows NT server a domain controller ?
Does that help ? If not, what else do I need to ask ?
1) Windows NT 4.0 domains use one PDC (Primary domain controller) and multiple BDC's(backup domain controllers) to authenticate users to the network. They hold a database of user names and passwords to grant access to users on the network. Your client is asking you to replace on of his/her BDC's with a Windows 2000 server. The problem is, it is not possible to do this without first migrating the PDC to Windows 2000 first (It can't be done any other way..the PDC must become a Windows 2000 server first.)
I suggest that you ask your client if the PDC is running on a Windows 2000 server.
Your client would have to migrate the PDC to Windows 2000 first. If the PDC is not Windows 2000, you can still migrate the data from his BDC to Windows 2000; however, the new server will not act as a domain controller (it won't be able to authenticate uses.)
2) If the PDC is already running Windows 2000 (in Mixed mode), you can convert this BDC. What you could do, is build the new server as a Windows NT BDC in the same domain. Then, synchronise the domain. Then use a Windows 2000 server CD to upgrade the server to Windows 2000. After the upgrade is complete, the new server will be Windows 2000. The last step is to move the data from the old server to the new windows 2000 server. You could use the resource kit util CACLS or XCACLS to do this and preserve permissions.
3) Migrating servers is a complicated procedure. It sounds like you have very limited knowledge of NT and 2000. I would tell the client that you do not have the skills to perform this work. Migrating a Windows NT 4.0 domain to 2000 is complicated. However, if you want to procede, "we" will try to give you as much support as possible.
-hope this helps. Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000
If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please check out
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.