Overwriting or "upgrading" Windows 2000 server

Got the service Pack crap SP4 on a Windows 2000 server

had the BSOD cycle until I found it was the Network Cards..(both) causing
it..

If I boot in Safe Mode and disable then boot, activate on of the cards, then
reboot its OK for a few hours or min.. than crashes again

I have tried reinstalling the cards, moving the cards, upgrading the
drivers, reinstalling SP4...

all 111 hotfixes

yet all to no avail..

Still BSOD's with KMODE, and a few others like IRP, and stack errors

The server is a DC, what would happen if I put in the Server CD and
reinstalled with winnt32.exe.

I know on a workstation it keeps the settings and resets / refreshes most of
the stuff back to the original install... would this work with a DC server
with AD ?

What would happen to the DHCP, shares, bats and other settings.

Would it just refresh or would it wipe out the settings

thanks

An upgrade install should keep things intact IF it can fix the problem. When
I was studying for my MCSE I used the 120 evaluation for W2K advanced server
and used to do upgrade installations when the 120 days expired which kept
settings intact, even for my domain controller, but I had to reapply
reinstall service pack first and then critical updates. See the links
below. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;306952
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;292175

"Blaze" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:SQTVb.2421$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Got the service Pack crap SP4 on a Windows 2000 server
>
> had the BSOD cycle until I found it was the Network Cards..(both) causing
> it..
>
> If I boot in Safe Mode and disable then boot, activate on of the cards,
then
> reboot its OK for a few hours or min.. than crashes again
>
> I have tried reinstalling the cards, moving the cards, upgrading the
> drivers, reinstalling SP4...
>
> all 111 hotfixes
>
> yet all to no avail..
>
> Still BSOD's with KMODE, and a few others like IRP, and stack errors
>
> The server is a DC, what would happen if I put in the Server CD and
> reinstalled with winnt32.exe.
>
> I know on a workstation it keeps the settings and resets / refreshes most
of
> the stuff back to the original install... would this work with a DC server
> with AD ?
>
> What would happen to the DHCP, shares, bats and other settings.
>
> Would it just refresh or would it wipe out the settings
>
> thanks
>
>

Steve is correct - but why don't you try uninstalling SP4 first? You can do
this through Add Remove Programs.

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

"Steven L Umbach" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:__TVb.206392$Rc4.1686899@attbi_s54...
> An upgrade install should keep things intact IF it can fix the problem.
When
> I was studying for my MCSE I used the 120 evaluation for W2K advanced
server
> and used to do upgrade installations when the 120 days expired which kept
> settings intact, even for my domain controller, but I had to reapply
> reinstall service pack first and then critical updates. See the links
> below. --- Steve
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;306952
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;292175
>
> "Blaze" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:SQTVb.2421$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Got the service Pack crap SP4 on a Windows 2000 server
> >
> > had the BSOD cycle until I found it was the Network Cards..(both)
causing
> > it..
> >
> > If I boot in Safe Mode and disable then boot, activate on of the cards,
> then
> > reboot its OK for a few hours or min.. than crashes again
> >
> > I have tried reinstalling the cards, moving the cards, upgrading the
> > drivers, reinstalling SP4...
> >
> > all 111 hotfixes
> >
> > yet all to no avail..
> >
> > Still BSOD's with KMODE, and a few others like IRP, and stack errors
> >
> > The server is a DC, what would happen if I put in the Server CD and
> > reinstalled with winnt32.exe.
> >
> > I know on a workstation it keeps the settings and resets / refreshes
most
> of
> > the stuff back to the original install... would this work with a DC
server
> > with AD ?
> >
> > What would happen to the DHCP, shares, bats and other settings.
> >
> > Would it just refresh or would it wipe out the settings
> >
> > thanks
> >
> >
>
>

"Doug Sherman [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Steve is correct - but why don't you try uninstalling SP4 first? You can
do
> this through Add Remove Programs.

Thanks Steve... the SP4 rollback don't work.... I think its a bit too
imbedded of its been installed too many times

I'll try the Upgrade...

Steve wrote
"but I had to reapply reinstall service pack first and then critical
updates. See the links
below. --- Steve"

do you mean uninstall.. all the hotfixes before the "upgrade or after the
reinstall SP3 after the "upgrade" ?

I am paranoid about losing my AD though

In my test network Active Directory was preserved. I would recommend that you
try to backup/ghost what you have anyways which is always good practice, at
least the System State. To clarify, after an upgrade installation first install
your Service Pack 3 and then go to Windows Update to install all needed critical
updates. You do not need to uninstall anything before you try the upgrade
install. I would also suggest if possible [you would need network connectivity]
to bring another domain controller on the network that would replicate the AD to
during the it's dcpromo process and then transfer the fsmo roles to it. --
Steve

"Blaze" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:RQWVb.2545$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Doug Sherman [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Steve is correct - but why don't you try uninstalling SP4 first? You can
> do
> > this through Add Remove Programs.
>
> Thanks Steve... the SP4 rollback don't work.... I think its a bit too
> imbedded of its been installed too many times
>
> I'll try the Upgrade...
>
> Steve wrote
> "but I had to reapply reinstall service pack first and then critical
> updates. See the links
> below. --- Steve"
>
> do you mean uninstall.. all the hotfixes before the "upgrade or after the
> reinstall SP3 after the "upgrade" ?
>
> I am paranoid about losing my AD though
>
>
>
>

On Mon, 9 Feb 2004 22:29:47 -0000, "Blaze" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Got the service Pack crap SP4 on a Windows 2000 server
>
>had the BSOD cycle until I found it was the Network Cards..(both) causing
>it..
>
>If I boot in Safe Mode and disable then boot, activate on of the cards, then
>reboot its OK for a few hours or min.. than crashes again
>
>I have tried reinstalling the cards, moving the cards, upgrading the
>drivers, reinstalling SP4...
>
>all 111 hotfixes
>
>yet all to no avail..
>
>Still BSOD's with KMODE, and a few others like IRP, and stack errors
>
>The server is a DC, what would happen if I put in the Server CD and
>reinstalled with winnt32.exe.
>
>I know on a workstation it keeps the settings and resets / refreshes most of
>the stuff back to the original install... would this work with a DC server
>with AD ?

Normally, yes. make sure you have a backup, and a second DC.

>What would happen to the DHCP, shares, bats and other settings.

Normally stay the same.

But, why don't you solve your problem instead? Replace the NIC's.

Jeff

"Jeff Cochran" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mon, 9 Feb 2004 22:29:47 -0000, "Blaze" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >Got the service Pack crap SP4 on a Windows 2000 server
> >
> >had the BSOD cycle until I found it was the Network Cards..(both) causing
> >it..
> >
> >If I boot in Safe Mode and disable then boot, activate on of the cards,
then
> >reboot its OK for a few hours or min.. than crashes again
> >
> >I have tried reinstalling the cards, moving the cards, upgrading the
> >drivers, reinstalling SP4...
> >
> >all 111 hotfixes
> >
> >yet all to no avail..
> >
> >Still BSOD's with KMODE, and a few others like IRP, and stack errors
> >
> >The server is a DC, what would happen if I put in the Server CD and
> >reinstalled with winnt32.exe.
> >
> >I know on a workstation it keeps the settings and resets / refreshes most
of
> >the stuff back to the original install... would this work with a DC
server
> >with AD ?
>
> Normally, yes. make sure you have a backup, and a second DC.
>
> >What would happen to the DHCP, shares, bats and other settings.
>
> Normally stay the same.
>
> But, why don't you solve your problem instead? Replace the NIC's.
>

I am.....I will be doing a network card transplant and playing with the ram
and see what happens... before I "upgrade"