Win 2003 Server in domain with Win 2000 Servers unable to become DC

[markappleby]

Hello Everyone.
I been trying to resolve a problem I have with promoting a Windows 2003 R2 Member Server to become a Domain Controller within a domain which currently contains three Windows 2000 Domain Controllers running in Native Mode. I have run adprep /forestprep and adprep /domainprep and these have completed successfully. Running these commands again on any of the existing DCs informs that the forest and the domain are already prepared.
When I run the Active Directory installation wizard on the 2003 Server, it complains that the forest is not prepared. The Server is operational other than this and drives are shared and usable.
I have run the MPSRPT_DirSvc.exe tool on the Win 2003 Server to diagnose problems and the netdiag section of this informs the following:
Domain membership test...: Passed
Machine is a ............: Member Server
Netbios Domain Name......: SWSPAR
Dns domain name..........: swspar.co.uk
Dns forest name..........: swspar.co.uk

If I run netdiag manually on this 2003 Server, every test passes apart from the following, which I am not sure is of particular relevance:
DC list test.............: Failed
Failed to enumerate DCs by using the browser [ERROR_NO_BROWSER_SERVERS_FOUND]

I would appreciate any ideas on how to resolve the problem with promoting this Win 2003 Server to become a domain controller.

Thanks.

 

[pagy]

Did you run adprep from the 2nd CD? Thats the one that conatins the schema updates for R2.


All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.
- Mark Twain

 

[markappleby]

Thanks Pagy.
Yes, I did try to run adprep from the 2nd CD but unfortunately adprep on this CD is a 64-bit version. It therefore does not run on a Windows 2000 32-bit Server. I have run a 32-bit version of adprep from a Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition CD but as you rightly state, this does not contain the schema updates sufficient for the R2 to recognise the Forest.
There is apparently a Microsoft hotfix, 194432_ENU_i386_zip.exe, which I have sppent ages obtaining and have now downloaded and am about to try.
Typical Microsoft, they put a 64-bit version of adprep on the R2 cd, when the only reason you would ever run adprep whould be to upgrade from a 2000 domain, which would only ever be 32-bit.
And do they help resolve the problem - not one single bit.

 

[markappleby]

I have found the fix for this.
Microsoft have issued a hotfix which is not publicly available. The hotfix can be obtained from the link below:

http://hotfixv4.microsoft.com/Windows Server 2003/sp2/Fix182926/3790/free/274669_ENU_i386_zip.exe

However, you need a login to get it. You therefore need to contact the supplier who provided you with the Windows 2003 Server because Microsoft, as usual, will not help anyone themselves.
This hotfix provides you with a version of adprep which will run on the existing Windows 2000 Operations Master and will update the Forest in such a way that a Windows 2003 R2 64 bit Server will be able to see it.
dcpromo will then work and the Server can be made a Domain Controller.

 

[liaml1]

Hello there Markappleby,

I downloaded the file but it is asking me for a password. What password did you use to unzip it?

Liam

 

[LWComputingMVP]

When you add a 2003 domain controller you are essentially upgrading the domain to AD 2003. To that end, I suggest you review the information in the links below:

Common Mistakes When Upgrading a Windows 2000 Domain To a Windows 2003 Domain

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555040

Hotfixes to install before you run adprep /Forestprep on a Windows 2000 domain controller to prepare the Forest and domains for the addition of Windows Server 2003-based domain controllers

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=331161

Commodore.ca | Windows | How To Upgrade Windows 2000 Domain to Windows 2003 Server
Quote from the top of this article: "Several glossy Microsoft presenters have stated that all you need to do to complete a Windows 2003 Domain upgrade is run ADPREP and then upgrade away. This may work for very small / simple environments but it is definitely not good advice for most companies. After upgrading five servers in two unrelated domains and installing many fresh copies of 2003 I can say that I personally would not skip a single step in the process I have developed below."

http://www.commodore.ca/windows/windows_2003_upgrade.htm

How can I transfer some or all of the FSMO Roles from one DC to another?

http://www.petri.co.il/transferring_fsmo_roles.htm

How To Create or Move a Global Catalog in Windows 2000

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313994

[If you run Exchange 2000] Windows Server 2003 adprep /forestprep Command Causes Mangled Attributes in Windows 2000 Forests That Contain Exchange 2000 Servers

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=314649

Windows Server 2003 Upgrade Assistance Center

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/upgrading/nt4/upgradeassistance/default.mspx

[If using R2 release of Windows 2003] Extending Your Active Directory Schema for New Features in Windows Server 2003 R2

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...03-84DD-480F-98F9-526EC09E9BA8&displaylang=en

How to move a DHCP database from a computer that is running Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 to a computer that is running Windows Server 2003

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=325473

How can I move a DHCP database from one server to another?

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/13473/13473.html

How can I move DNS from one Windows 2000 Server to another Windows 2000 Server?
(Two Related if going 2000 to 2003 - read both before moving)

http://www.jsifaq.com/subG/TIP3300/rh3357.htm

http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBN/tip6700/rh6731.htm

 

[markappleby]

Hello Liam,

Unfortunately I didn't keep a record of the password I used. It wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft imposed a date related password so that it varied on a daily basis, just to assist end users as they normally do under the disguise of security.
I'm sure your suppplier of the software is probably a Microsoft partner and therefore able to generate a password for you.
If not, let me know and I'm sure we could arrange some method of getting the extracted files to you.

Mark

 

[idurey]

I know this thread has been inactive for a while, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I've run into this issue and I tried contacting Dell (the server provider) and they are unaware of the hotfix and were unable to provide me with a link or password to the file that Mark posted.

Has anyone had any luck with this? Does anyone know what information I need to provide to Dell in order to get them to provide the hotfix?

Thanks,

Ian

 

[markappleby]

Hello Ian,

I had to explain the problem to a number of people at Dell before I was given the correct information. I think I insisted that the Server 2003 was inoperational and would need to be returned as faulty if there was no fix available.
I am sure if you explain that the Windows 2003 Server CD contains a 64-bit version of adprep to prepare the Forest but your current Operations Master has only a 32-bit operating system and will therefore not run the 64-bit adprep application. Ask them how they suggest you run a 64-bit application on a 32-bit operating system, to correctly prepare the Forest for Windows 2003.

Alternatively, I do have the downloaded file which I could forward to you if necessary. However, I do not know of any implications this could pose or whether the file I downloaded has limits on its licence or use.
I do think you would be better obtaining this through Dell, even though it may be a struggle to obtain.

Mark

 

[idurey]

Thanks Mark,

I called Dell again and this time I was able to have a Software Escalation Incident created because the agent on the phone wasn't able to find any reference to the files I needed. However, I ended up cancelling this. Here's why:

I had access to another Windows Server 2003 R2 cd, a 32-bit version, so I used ADPREP from that. Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees...

Thanks a lot for your help.

-Ian