Re: How to down grade server 2003 from pdc to file server

"Al Mulnick" <amulnick_No_SPAM@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OpmC6yLwGHA.1772@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Interesting. I'd have never thought to read it that way.
:)

I deal without a log of admins who are relatively inexperience
with AD beyond installing it and creating users.

Part of my job is to figure out where they will go wrong before
they actually DO that -- and then *innoculate* them from such
mistakes.

--
Herb Martin, MCSE, MVP
Accelerated MCSE
http://www.LearnQuick.Com
[phone number on web site]


"Herb Martin" <news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eFGMHnLwGHA.3936@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Al Mulnick" <amulnick_No_SPAM@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:u59s0QLwGHA.724@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If I gave the impression that a PDC was not something that came forward,
I'll be sure to check that in the future.


It wasn't a big deal (and I am sure YOU understand it) but many
people, especially beginners reading these messages, mistakenly
think that PDC Emulator is either unnecessary or even 'gone' in
Native mode.

You wrote the follow (not a big deal):

"While you have a mixed environment of nt4 and 2k3 domain
controllers, the 2K3 dc will hold the PDC role via the FSMO PDCe role."

...which implied that since it was [only] "While you have a mixed mode".

You did NOT say "only" but this is common misunderstanding of beginners.

And the key issues are covered by you below:

Please note that regardless of what you do, if you have a 2K3 server
acting as a domain controller in an NT4 environment, it will make itself
the PDC for the NT4 domain. If that's not what was wanted, please take
note. If you remove the 2K3 domain controllers, your clients might take
exception to that, but as Herb points out, you'd do well to try and
transfer the role prior to demoting. If you don't have another 2K3
domain controller, you'll likely have to nominate a NT4 dc as the PDC
after you demote the 2K3 server. Haven't tried the scenario of backing
it out from a 2K3 domain.


--
Herb Martin, MCSE, MVP
Accelerated MCSE
http://www.LearnQuick.Com
[phone number on web site]




"Herb Martin" <news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23c7Dt46vGHA.1512@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Al Mulnick" <amulnick_No_SPAM@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e67tspwvGHA.2436@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The concept of a PDC is different in 2003. However, if this is a
mixed environment (nt4 and 2k3) then you may experience some issues
after the demotion. While you have a mixed environment of nt4 and 2k3
domain controllers, the 2K3 dc will hold the PDC role via the FSMO
PDCe role.

Actually you will need a "PDC Emulator" even in Native (or
Win2003 Server native) mode, even if you have only WinXP or
greater machines.

The "PDC Emulator" does performs several functions in addition
to literally acting as the PDC for older (NT) BDCs and older
clients.

It is a time server, Domain Master Browser (a separate job the
NT PDC used to perform), and "password change notification
master" (a name never used by Microsoft.)

That's by design.


2K3 offers dcpromo.exe as a way to remove active directory from a 2K3
server. You can run it and remove the domain controller ability.

I strongly recommend TRANSFERRING the roles it holds to another
DC before demoting it.

While DCPromo demotion SHOULD do this, it is not guaranteed.

Also watch out for other jobs and make sure you have (another)
GC before demoting it. (GCs don't get auto transferred) and a
DNS server (as well as WINS Server if you are using WINS.)

Usually that "first DC" is holding many special functions that need
to be considered.










.

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