Switching to Native mode

[BobBooker]

I want to switch my domain into native mode.
I still have a NT4 BDC connected in mixed mode.
What will happen to this BDC when I switch? Will it just sit there oblivious to the rest of the Domain, or will it keep trying to contact the PDC?

I don't want to rebuild it as it will be too much work.

Any suggestions?

 

[GonzarTheGreat]

I prefer clean installs of Win2K, but the option of running the upgrade of the NT4.0 BDC to Windows 2000 exists. After the upgrade, you can run dcpromo to change whether or not its a DC.
Then switch to native mode.

 

[Seaspray0]

Do not switch to native mode if you have a NT Domain Controller in your domain. If its a stand alone NT server, no problem. Start/programs/administrative tools/Active Directory Domains and Trusts. Right click the domain, and select properties. See your mode? Don't forget to establish trusts both ways to the NT stand alone servers. Also note if you have more than one domain (ie, sub domain), you can run one in mixed mode, the other in native.

 

[keithmyers]

You can also demote the NT BDC to a stand alone server. I used a utility to do this called U-Promote. I successfully demoted an NT 4.0 BDC to a stand alone server, then made it a member of the 2k domain. I then switched to native mode. I didn't want to upgrade the BDC to 2k because there were legacy apps on it that would not run under 2k.

http://www.purenetworking.net/Products/UPromote/UPromote.htm

-Keith-

 

[CharlieJax]

If you switch the domain to native mode the NT 4 BDC will be out in the cold as it will no longer be able to contact the Active Directory DCs. It will continue to try but will fail.

In native mode, you can only have Windows 2000 domain controlers. CJ

Don't drink and post, save that for driving home!

 

[jmissild]

I am not aware of the UPromote product but I would be uneasy about it. You can go into AD Users and computers and delete the NT server. Then switch to native mode. It may or may not let you delete it. If not use the Windows 2000 Support Tools and use ADSIedit or the LDP utility to manually remove the NT object from Active Directory. Your NT server will continue to look for a "PDC" until he is a member server. Is there some reason why you would not just move the data and or programs over to W2K?

 

[BobBooker]

Thanks for the replies. It's been a great help.

 

[BobBooker]

Success!!

I used the U-Promote program as suggested by Keith.
I was extremely nervous, but it worked like a dream.
The only bit of extra work was reassigning permissions on the shared drive, as it put Everyone..Full Control as default.

The best $99 I ever spent.

Thanks to All