Hello everyone, i've got a question that I really need answered! I have an existing NT server now with about 10 clients. I have a NEW NT server coming in and want to replace the old one with the new one. How can i not only transfer the data, but all the settings as well? like user profile info and stuff? Is there a seemless easy way to do this?? I was thinking about switching the hard drives, but the old server's software will be utilized at another location. I'm not very familiar with NT but I am a network admin so not totally stupid. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!! Thanks.
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NT migration to a new box!!!!!!!
- Thread starter shaunss
- Start date
Switching the hard drives will probably not work, because hardware like chipset, irq card mapping and stuff like that have change. Then, the drivers of Nt doesn't match the hardware anymore. Normally, boot of NT will fail (I say normaly, because sometimes I manage to do this by starting in safe mode, uninstalling most of the drivers and re-installing new one).
It is much safer to make a proper new installation of NT, and infortunatley I think you will have to re-install and re-configure the software programs. Of course, you can do it by letting the old server running until the new one seems to be safe and ready to switch.
Regards,
David Burg.
It is much safer to make a proper new installation of NT, and infortunatley I think you will have to re-install and re-configure the software programs. Of course, you can do it by letting the old server running until the new one seems to be safe and ready to switch.
Regards,
David Burg.
SteelDragon
Programmer
Ok, a few questions for you first:
1) Is the old NT box a domain controller?
If so, are you using raoming profiles? If not the answer for user accounts is simple. Start your new server as a BDC and synchronize it with the PDC, once done take the old NT box down and promote the new NT box to PDC, now it's in and the user accounts are there and ready to go, seemlessly.
2) The "DATA" you are refering to, is that mapped network drives? If so that makes things a bit more difficult, you will most likly have to do this swap during off-peak, or overtime hours. First off, if it is mapped drives, you will need to recreate the directory structure on the server EXACTLY as it was on the old server, secondly, if you use a logon script to map these drives, you will need to change it. HOWEVER, if you set up the structre the same as the old box, you will only need to change the name of the server in the logon script. A way to avoid this in the future it to use the IP address of the server in the logon script so that once the old server is removed, you can change the new server to the old servers IP address and things should then work seemlessly with out changing the logon script.
If there are more questions, or you have a different set-up, post more details, and I will give you another scenario to use to complete your task as easily as possible.
Good Luck,
SteelDragon
1) Is the old NT box a domain controller?
If so, are you using raoming profiles? If not the answer for user accounts is simple. Start your new server as a BDC and synchronize it with the PDC, once done take the old NT box down and promote the new NT box to PDC, now it's in and the user accounts are there and ready to go, seemlessly.
2) The "DATA" you are refering to, is that mapped network drives? If so that makes things a bit more difficult, you will most likly have to do this swap during off-peak, or overtime hours. First off, if it is mapped drives, you will need to recreate the directory structure on the server EXACTLY as it was on the old server, secondly, if you use a logon script to map these drives, you will need to change it. HOWEVER, if you set up the structre the same as the old box, you will only need to change the name of the server in the logon script. A way to avoid this in the future it to use the IP address of the server in the logon script so that once the old server is removed, you can change the new server to the old servers IP address and things should then work seemlessly with out changing the logon script.
If there are more questions, or you have a different set-up, post more details, and I will give you another scenario to use to complete your task as easily as possible.
Good Luck,
SteelDragon
If you have already your server as a PDC, then the only viable solution is to set a new one as BDC, replicate users and shares, then decommission the old box, and promote the new on to a PDC status. But, if there is no domains right now - it's tough.
Even though you can copy users' profiles (by exporting them from the old box, and importing into the new one), those will be different UID's, which is checked on the shares' permissions, and it might not work. Worth a try, though.
Good luck.
Even though you can copy users' profiles (by exporting them from the old box, and importing into the new one), those will be different UID's, which is checked on the shares' permissions, and it might not work. Worth a try, though.
Good luck.
Guest_imported
New member
- Jan 1, 1970
- 0
You guys rock! ok heres the situation... I don't think the old NT box is a domain controller. How would i find out? Lol I'm a novell person and not very familiar with NT. It's basically just a file server, nothing fancy. I think everyone just connects to it to store data and thats all they will need to do with the new one. As far as SteelDragons quote (thanks by the way SteelDragon!)
"Start your new server as a BDC and synchronize it with the PDC, once done take the old NT box down and promote the new NT box to PDC, now it's in and the user accounts are there and ready to go, seemlessly."
What is BDC and PDC? Sounds like a before and after kinda deal. How would I synchronize the new box with the old one? How do I start the new box as a BDC?
In order to have both servers up and running would i just setup the network with the new server plugged into any network hub?
Thanks again!!!!!!
Shaun
"Start your new server as a BDC and synchronize it with the PDC, once done take the old NT box down and promote the new NT box to PDC, now it's in and the user accounts are there and ready to go, seemlessly."
What is BDC and PDC? Sounds like a before and after kinda deal. How would I synchronize the new box with the old one? How do I start the new box as a BDC?
In order to have both servers up and running would i just setup the network with the new server plugged into any network hub?
Thanks again!!!!!!
Shaun
PDC is Primary Domain Server, BDC is something like Backup Domain Serve (I don't remember exactly).
If your server doesn't do anything more than file sharing, if it doesn't contain windows user's profile, if the network settings of the owrkstations use workgroups and no domain, then you does probably not have a PDC and don't need to care about this.
But I'm a bit surprise since your first request was talking about "user profile info and stuff".
Regards,
David.
If your server doesn't do anything more than file sharing, if it doesn't contain windows user's profile, if the network settings of the owrkstations use workgroups and no domain, then you does probably not have a PDC and don't need to care about this.
But I'm a bit surprise since your first request was talking about "user profile info and stuff".
Regards,
David.
SteelDragon
Programmer
To find out if your server is a Domain controller, go to start/programs/administrative tools/server manager. Find the server, it may be the only one from the sound of this, look and see if it states that it is a Primary or a Backup, thus either being a PDC (Primary Domain controller) or a BDC (Backup Domain Controller). If it just says "Server" it is a stand alone NT server, but I would not think this to be the case since from what you are saying it handles your network logons. Is that correct? If there are any other questions, or more things needed to be migrated post again, and I'll do my best to help you.
Good Luck,
SteelDragon
Good Luck,
SteelDragon
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