Windows Server 2008 to Windows Server 2008 R2 upgrade?

[cajuntank]

Just wanted to get some opinions and thoughts about doing an upgrade as opposed to a wipe and clean install on some domain controllers. This will be a project during summer break for us and I know this upgrade isn't like going from 2003 to 2003 R2. I can go through the dcpromo process to demote and remove one at a time from my domain, then add them back with fresh installs (I would be using the same hardware), but if I don't have to, then that make life easier. I have just had quirky issues in the past upgrading from 2003 to 2008 which gives me pause. FYI, all of my existing 2008 are 64bit installs.

 

[TonHu]

MS sketches a loath of possibilities on this page, but for such a critical entity as a DC, I'd go for a demote/off-line/clean install/on-line/promote scenario, 'only' because of the cleanness of the Windows install.

A second scenario could be to wait with the R2 deployment until the next hardware upgrade.

What's the drive for this 2008 R2 upgrade? need some specific R2 feature, or just keeping up with the 'bleeding edge' of Windows?

 

[kmcferrin]

I agree, with AD at stake I would no do an in-place upgrade. It would probably work fine, but why take the chance?

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Windows 7
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCTS:Windows Server 2008 R2, Server Virtualization
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Server Administrator
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator
Certified Quest vWorkspace Administrator