Re: NT4 > Win 2003 Server

From: Alex Zhang (v-qiz_at_online.microsoft.com)
Date: 04/06/04 

Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2004 17:11:49 GMT

Hello,

Thank you for posting here.

When two different Windows NT Advanced Servers or Windows NT Servers in a
domain think they are the Primary Domain Controller (PDC), the following
error message may appear in the Event Log:

A domain controller is already running in this domain.

For more information you may browse the following web site:

Two PDCs in One Domain
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;112549

I think the most convenient upgrade solution is install Windows NT BDC on
the new server, promote it to PDC and then inplace-upgrade it to Windows
Server 2003. (Actually, this is commonly used method because the domain can
be intact and it is easy for us to recovery the domain. Also, the
inplace-upgrade from a cleanly installed Windows NT system is easier to
succeed.)

Here are commonly-used upgrade steps for this situation:

1. Perform full backup for the currant PDC.

2. Build Windows NT BDC on the new server and apply the latest service pack
(SP6a).

3. Promote this new BDC to PDC (the original PDC will be demoted to BDC
automatically).

4. Take the old PDC (now BDC) offline for recovery purposes (if necessary,
we can take it online and promote it back to PDC).

5. Inplace upgrade the new PDC to Windows Server 2003 and promote it to a
DC.

Reference:

Upgrading from Windows NT Server 4.0 to Windows Server 2003
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/whyupgrade/nt4/nt4tows
03-2.mspx

Windows NT Server 4.0 Upgrade Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/partners/isvs/ntmigrate.mspx

326209 HOW TO: Upgrade a Windows NT 4.0-Based PDC to a Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=326209

This will keep all the domain data in the existing domain and the client
use can still logon to the same domain.

I hope the information proves helpful!
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to let me know. I am glad
to be of assistance.
Thanks and regards,
Alex Zhang
Microsoft Partner Online Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

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<A83A2C80-B8E1-4565-A82B-92DA8D097329@microsoft.com>
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| Subject: Re: NT4 > Win 2003 Server
| Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 09:25:36 -0700
| Lines: 77
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| NNTP-Posting-Host: tk2msftngxa13.phx.gbl 10.40.1.165
| X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.migration
|
| Alex: I have almost the same issue as of Tom. I have
| already a NT 4.0 BDC in my domain and now i want to
| replace it with a new machine with windows 2003. What i
| did was install the NT 4.0 in the new machine. My question
| is should i install it as a BDC or PDC for later to be
| upgraded/migrated to Windows 2003 as a domain controller.
| If i do it as NT 4.0 PDC, CAN TWO PDC's exist in one
| domain. What are my best options.
|
| >-----Original Message-----
| >Ok,
| >
| >If you have any other issues, please feel free to let me
| know. I am glad to
| >be of assistance.
| >
| >Have a nice day!
| >
| >Thanks and regards,
| >
| >Alex Zhang
| >Microsoft Partner Online Support
| >Get Secure! - <www.microsoft.com/security>
| >=====================================================
| >When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via
| your newsreader so
| >that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
| >=====================================================
| >This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
| confers no rights.
| >--------------------
| >| Thread-Topic: NT4 > Win 2003 Server
| >| thread-index: AcQZoL2yf89dwfdZREyfgna0GRi4Ng==
| >| X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.migration
| >| From: =?Utf-8?B?VG9t?= <tharris@goldprospectors.org>
| >| References: <1141701c4135a$84ade5f0$a601280a@phx.gbl>
| ><uqUvaH3EEHA.2524@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>
| ><8flqN0WFEHA.1160@cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl>
| ><akfaDnnFEHA.3568@cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl>
| ><lvJH83VGEHA.612@cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl>
| >| Subject: Re: NT4 > Win 2003 Server
| >| Date: Sat, 3 Apr 2004 09:26:04 -0800
| >| Lines: 4
| >| Message-ID: <A83A2C80-B8E1-4565-A82B-
| 92DA8D097329@microsoft.com>
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| >| NNTP-Posting-Host: tk2msftcmty1.phx.gbl 10.40.1.180
| >| X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.migration
| >|
| >| I have installed NT 4 to my new server and upgraded to
| sp 6a. Promotion
| >to PDC and install of DHCP went well. Im going to let
| the machine run for
| >a while just to make sure all goes well. Next step is
| the Serve 2003
| >inplace upgrade. Going to do some reading first so there
| are no hic cups...
| >
| >Thanks all for your assistance...I'll be back to let you
| know how it went!
| >Tom
| >|
| >
| >.
| >
|

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