NT4 -> 2003

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From: David (dmgNOSPAM_at_NOSPAM_Tempco.com)
Date: 03/26/04


Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 18:07:44 -0600

I've searched and read many of the posts here regarding the topic of
upgrading Nt4 to 2003.

My experience with the windows server family begins with w2k, and I just
have limited admin experience using NT4. I know when you install w2k or
2003 that it asks you for a FQDN such as "mycompany.com". The task I have
at hand is to add a new Windows Server 2003 machine to an exisiting NT4
domain named "MyCompany" rather than "MyCompany.com".

If I do the following instructions:

1. Build a third machine as an NT BDC and take it off the network as a
backup plan.
2. Install Windows NT 4.0 BDC on the new server and apply the latest
Service Pack.
3. In Server Manager, promote the BDC to PDC. (The current PDC will be
demoted automatically.)
4. In-place upgrade the new server to Windows Server 2003.

what happens in regards to the domain name when I upgrade the PDC to 2003?
Can I just use "MyCompany"? What are the drawbacks to doing this? If I
upgrade and change the PDC domain name to "MyCompany.com" what happens with
the BDC named just "MyCompany"?

thank you for your time and help!
 David
dmgNOSPAM@NOSPAM!_tempco.com



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