New install of SBS 2003

[maya14]

I have decided to do a clean install of SBS 2003. What is the best procedure to following considering the following:

SQL is installed
PC’s already belong to domain with some GPO’s configured
Exchange is installed but users are using Outlook/POP3 with ISP
No ISA
.local domain
I used the 1 NIC setup but want to use 2 NIC setup now for ISA implementation later.


Should I join pc’s back to workgroup and re-install server and then join them back to the domain using the \\servername\connectcomputer wizard. Can i use the same servername and domain name.

 

[HalComps]

heres just a few links to help you. hope you find them useful.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation/faq/default.mspx

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Installing-and-Configuring-SBS2003.html

domain setting and work groups

http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/support/articles/win2k3sbnetwork.mspx

 

[ShackDaddy]

Probably the strategy that would be least disruptive would be an "in-place swing migration." That would preserve your AD (users and groups) and your Exchange and SQL, but allow you to configure the server fresh.

You can read about it here:

http://expertanswercenter.techtarget.com/eac/knowledgebaseAnswer/0,295199,sid63_gci1194850,00.html

And here:

http://www.sbsmigration.com

This strategy will allow you to leave the clients exactly as they are, with no profile recreation or unjoining and rejoining the domain, but will also let you start from scratch with your server config. If your misconfigurations and problems are in the AD, those will be preserved, as will GPOs, but otherwise you'd be getting a fresh start.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[maya14]

Yes i think there is some problems with SBS 2003 installation.
Users are really just logging in to access SQL databases and some file shares.I have about 20 workstations on the domain.
Cant i just join all workstations to workgroup re-install SBS on the same box with same domain name again and rejoin pc's to domain USING THE WIZARD.
I didn't do the following first time around:
Only used some of the wizards.
Only configured 1 NIC
Used AD as if its MS 2003 server.
Didn't use servername/connectcomputer to join pc's to domain.

 

[ShackDaddy]

Yes, you can do that. But when the users join the domain, even though the domain name is the same, they won't use the profiles on their workstations that they were using before. New profiles with similar names (like maya141 and or shackdaddy1) will be generated.

The best way (in my experience so far) to follow the route you are describing would be to use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard on each workstation before removing them from the domain. Save each profile in the root of C: on the workstation and then once the systems have been rejoined to the domain, log on each workstation as its primary user and run the F&STW again, importing from the local saved migration set.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting