Adding a 2003 Server to an existing NT 4.0 Domain

Not sure what the advantage of retaining the NT domain name would be. Even
if the AD domain name is the same as the NT domain name, the client machines
will still have to join the new domain, users will get new profiles, etc.
Single label domain names are not recommended for AD domains. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;300684

Doug Sherman
MCSE Win2k/NT4.0, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

"Adrian Robertson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:4188378f$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Howdy,
>
> I have a 2003 Server that I want to add to an existing NT 4.0 Domain, and
> become the Domain Controller. The existing PDC is not suitable for
upgrading
> to 2003 Server, so a brand new 2003 Server has been purchased.
>
> I have booted this 2003 Server and have it currently sitting on a separate
> hub (ie. not at all linked to the existing domain) and am trying to get it
> configured properly with it's own hub, with just a couple of XP Pro
machines
> attached to the same hub.
>
> As I have never had to worry about DNS settings within my LAN before, I
> think this is where things are going wrong.
>
> When I install Active Directory on the 2003 Server, it wants to set up DNS
> as well. Here I'm not sure what I should be inputting. If my existing
Domain
> name is simply DOMAIN, then what full DNS name should I be using? I do not
> want the 2003 Server to be accessable from the internet at all, it just
> needs to concern itself with the LAN. I had read somewhere that in this
case
> I could basically give the DNS any name I liked (and suggested something
> like DOMAIN.LOCAL) but I don't know if this is the correct first step. If
I
> try to give the DNS name exactly the same as the Domain name (ie. DOMAIN)
> then I get a warning about doing this and if I persist, I'd have to have
> some additional configuration settings altered. At this point I have not
> tried going through with this.
>
> Eventually the plan would be to shut down the existing NT 4.0 Server
(which
> is currently the PDC) and connect this new 2003 Server to the network,
> without having to change domain names or anything like that. I'm expecting
> to have to add something into the DNS search order in the network settings
> for each workstation, but that's easily taken care of.
>
> Any initial advise would be appreciated!
>
>
>


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what you should be doing is this: install NT4 on your new machine, make it a
BDC, promote it to PDC, install 2003 on top of this. once its up and running
and any bugs are ironed out, you can bring a fresh 2003 DC online and remove
any NT4 BDC's you have left.


"Adrian Robertson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:4188378f$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Howdy,
>
> I have a 2003 Server that I want to add to an existing NT 4.0 Domain, and
> become the Domain Controller. The existing PDC is not suitable for
> upgrading
> to 2003 Server, so a brand new 2003 Server has been purchased.
>
> I have booted this 2003 Server and have it currently sitting on a separate
> hub (ie. not at all linked to the existing domain) and am trying to get it
> configured properly with it's own hub, with just a couple of XP Pro
> machines
> attached to the same hub.
>
> As I have never had to worry about DNS settings within my LAN before, I
> think this is where things are going wrong.
>
> When I install Active Directory on the 2003 Server, it wants to set up DNS
> as well. Here I'm not sure what I should be inputting. If my existing
> Domain
> name is simply DOMAIN, then what full DNS name should I be using? I do not
> want the 2003 Server to be accessable from the internet at all, it just
> needs to concern itself with the LAN. I had read somewhere that in this
> case
> I could basically give the DNS any name I liked (and suggested something
> like DOMAIN.LOCAL) but I don't know if this is the correct first step. If
> I
> try to give the DNS name exactly the same as the Domain name (ie. DOMAIN)
> then I get a warning about doing this and if I persist, I'd have to have
> some additional configuration settings altered. At this point I have not
> tried going through with this.
>
> Eventually the plan would be to shut down the existing NT 4.0 Server
> (which
> is currently the PDC) and connect this new 2003 Server to the network,
> without having to change domain names or anything like that. I'm expecting
> to have to add something into the DNS search order in the network settings
> for each workstation, but that's easily taken care of.
>
> Any initial advise would be appreciated!
>
>
>

There is an excellent online course offered free from Microsoft's TechNet
site.

Migrating from Windows NT Server 4.0 to Windows Server 2003
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...rv/tnt1-74.msp
x

Take a look at it. It should answer most of your questions.

Steve Mason, MCSE:Security (NT/2000/2003), MCSA:Security (2000/2003), MCP+I
(NT/2000)
Microsoft Enterprise Platform Support Setup Team

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Howdy,

I have a 2003 Server that I want to add to an existing NT 4.0 Domain, and
become the Domain Controller. The existing PDC is not suitable for upgrading
to 2003 Server, so a brand new 2003 Server has been purchased.

I have booted this 2003 Server and have it currently sitting on a separate
hub (ie. not at all linked to the existing domain) and am trying to get it
configured properly with it's own hub, with just a couple of XP Pro machines
attached to the same hub.

As I have never had to worry about DNS settings within my LAN before, I
think this is where things are going wrong.

When I install Active Directory on the 2003 Server, it wants to set up DNS
as well. Here I'm not sure what I should be inputting. If my existing Domain
name is simply DOMAIN, then what full DNS name should I be using? I do not
want the 2003 Server to be accessable from the internet at all, it just
needs to concern itself with the LAN. I had read somewhere that in this case
I could basically give the DNS any name I liked (and suggested something
like DOMAIN.LOCAL) but I don't know if this is the correct first step. If I
try to give the DNS name exactly the same as the Domain name (ie. DOMAIN)
then I get a warning about doing this and if I persist, I'd have to have
some additional configuration settings altered. At this point I have not
tried going through with this.

Eventually the plan would be to shut down the existing NT 4.0 Server (which
is currently the PDC) and connect this new 2003 Server to the network,
without having to change domain names or anything like that. I'm expecting
to have to add something into the DNS search order in the network settings
for each workstation, but that's easily taken care of.

Any initial advise would be appreciated!

Thanks guys, for all of your suggestions.

Much appreciated!

Adrian

""Steve Mason [MSFT]"" <a-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:k0$(E-Mail Removed)...
> There is an excellent online course offered free from Microsoft's TechNet
> site.
>
> Migrating from Windows NT Server 4.0 to Windows Server 2003
>
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...rv/tnt1-74.msp
> x
>
> Take a look at it. It should answer most of your questions.
>
> Steve Mason, MCSE:Security (NT/2000/2003), MCSA:Security (2000/2003),
MCP+I
> (NT/2000)
> Microsoft Enterprise Platform Support Setup Team
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
>