Upgrading from NT 4.0 to Server 2003

[toniak]

Hi everyone -

I have been a LAN admin for quite a few years - but I am about to do something that I have never done before and I am a little bit afraid after reading all I have found so far on the topic.

I am in a small network, only about 55 users. I just came into the company and thier PDC is a NT4 box, that is actually an old workstation. There is only 64mb of free space on this thing, and I had to work to get that free since the HD is only 1 gig. (For some reason they also have thier financial database on this thing)

I have just purchased a new server (a real one) and it came preinstalled with server 2003. The easiest way (or the least trouble ridden way) I have found to do this is to slick the new server and put nt 4 on it and then migrate and upgrade to 2003. Does anyone know where to point me to find some step by setp instructions on the best way to do this? PLEASE HELP!!


Tonia

 

[TruBlu01]

The last thing I would do is take a brand new server with 2003 on it and wipe it out for NT to upgrade it to 2003. There are countless numbers documentation that can help you. If you are going to be going to AD then build you new server as the primary with yourdomain.com as the AD domain, install active Directory, use the ad connector and so on. Do some searches yopu'll find what you need.

 

[toniak]

Thank you so much - I feel like I am floppping around here - Unfortunatly - I am all there is for the LAN Admin here, and I walked into a bunch of ducktape and spit holding the network together. I have never done anything this complex, and the last thing I want to do is screw it up - Anymore advice you have will be appreciated. I have read about 25 different ways of doing this so far this morning, and have yet to get a handle on which is best.

Thanks!!!
Tonia

 

[shigenobuchan]

I am curious as well to see what the best path is in this case. I have a similar situation. Old NT PDC. Purchased a new Dell Server with 2003 Server already loaded. Don't want to wipe it and install NT 4.0

 

[geniph]

Actually, I'd recommend yet a third option. Dig up a PC somewhere - doesn't have to be much, just about a 500MHz with a couple gig of hard drive space. Load NT Server on it, set it up as a BDC in that domain. Promote it to PDC. Run the 2003 Server upgrade on it, and then dcpromo.

After you've done that, take your spankin' new 2000/2003 server and run dcpromo on it, and move the FSMO roles - PDC emulator, RID, infrastructure master - and the GC to it. Move the applications off the old funky server and remove it from the domain. Once it's off the domain, you can upgrade the domain functional level to 2000 native (or 2003 native, if all your DCs are 2003).

I just started an AD migration of my enterprise, which is 32 NT domains. Because I'm the only sys ad, the consultant I brought in recommended the in-place method over an AD migration. It's actually relatively painless. Just make DAMN sure you get DNS set up and working properly before you proceed with anything: everything in AD relies on DNS.

 

[toniak]

Wow! Great Idea - I am gona give that one a shot!

Thanks!
Tonia