Win NT Domain and Win2K Active Directory

[daveymcman]

I have an existing NT 4 PDC and BDC, I want to install a new Win2K server and make it part of the domain. I have searched and searched MS to find how this is done or if it can be done. I would have thought it would be the most common of all installs. Apparently it is unique.

Can anybody point me in the right direction on how this is done. Trying to DCPROMO ActiveDirectory to an existing NT 4 domain does not work. Doesn't like me.

Cheers

 

[fmlt]

If u just want to add a W2K server as a member server to a NT4 domain, u can do it like for a NT4 server.
DCPROMO must be use only if u want to move your domain to AD (first you will have to use it on a PDC).
On of the way you can do this is :
- add a new BDC to your domain
- stop your PDC
- promote the new BDC into a PDC
- update your new PDC to W2K
- then update your BDC to W2K
And you get a brand new W2K AD domain....
Franck

 

[daveymcman]

Well I don't want to pay MS anymore money. What does everyone else do. I quess I am stuck with the NT4 domain and leaving the new win2k box as a member server.

Will it be a member of the domain and use domain security??, or do I have to treat it as an orphan??

Thanks for your original answer as well. First time i ever got a response.

Cheers

 

[Jpoandl]

I'm not sure if I understand you...

So,you have a pre-existing Windows NT 4.0 domain. Your goal is to build a Windows 2000 server and make this server part of your domain. To do this, simply build a Windows 2000 server. Now, Right Click on My Computer. Click Properties, and then the click Network Identification tab. From here, you can join your Windows NT 4.0 domain. This new Windows 2000 server will act like any other member server in your domain.

If you goal is two run both Active Directory and Windows NT 4.0 domain, you will have to either upgrade your Windows NT 4.0 domain to Window2K or install Windows 2000 server as a new domain.

From your e-mail, I am assuming you want to keep one domain as NT 4.0. Therefore, I think you should install Windows 2000 server. Run DCPROMO. Create a new domain for this server. Then use Active Directory Trusts to create a trust relationship to the old NT 4.0 domain.

Hope some of this helps.

Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000

 

[daveymcman]

Sorry for vagueness. I want to do the lease ammount of changing so I have the least ammount of hassle.

Keeping the existing NZ4 situation is paramount. So I have two options as you have pointed out to me

1, add the server to the domain (by the way I did this already). And let the existing domain controller maintain access permissions for it. I have never put a server into a domain without making it a PDC or BDC. I know it can be done. I just normally make all my servers DC's. So hopefully I will not get all the trust issues this way. Another thing I have never found. With NT you can add the domain user group to the user group. I can't see how to do this under win2k.

2, Make a new domain. I hate doing that. The trusts work for a few hours then fail. They only work one way. every 5 minutes your in there trying to convice the two servers to be nice to each other. And thats without adding active directory which has a 1000 more settings hidden the most awful places.

I might try the plain old server angle. See if uses can access anything on the win2k server. I don't hold out much hope.

Cheers

 

[MarcS1]

Just How many servers do you have on your network, are they all DC's and if so are you nuts ? : )

 

[fmlt]

1 - It's a good idea to have all your servers as DC, if you have fast lan/wan connexion. We actualy manage more than 200 hundred server in 4 NT 4.0 domain, there almost all DC and it works fine (this have been partialy design by MCS).

Anyway your new W2K box can not be a NT 4.0 DC.

I don't really understand your pb with permissions. I think you want to share files and/or printer, if so, you may put NT 4.0 Global Domain Groups in Local Groups of the W2K box and give permission to those Local Groups. Of course it increase the amount of work.

Franck