Upgrading..

I have a small network. One NT4 domain server. I need to replace the NT4
server with one running 2000 server with AD...
If I put the W2k server onto the network as a member server. Then install
AD on it and make it a domain controller... move the data from the old
server to the new server. Change all my drive mappings etc etc, to point to
the new server... will that work?

If this can be done...will the 5 client pc's (all running XP Pro) immediatly
have to have their DNS settings changed to point to the new servers DNS
service? or can I leave it alone until I remove the old server (which will
not be for several days....)

If I put DHCP on the new server and remove it from the old..and just
change the pointers to the new server (which all would need to be done
anyway)... that would solve the logon (dns) issue, would it not?

There will be a several day period where both the old NT4 server and the new
W2k server will both be up and operating. But I'm wanting to change the
primary server to the W2K with the end result being removal of the NT
server completely.

Im trying to minimize interruption..
This sound like a workable plan?

thanks
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Replies in-line below:

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Laura E. Hunter - MCSE, MCT, MVP
Replies to newsgroup only


"Whiskey" <cydian(no spam)2000@(nospam)yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a small network. One NT4 domain server. I need to replace the NT4
> server with one running 2000 server with AD...
> If I put the W2k server onto the network as a member server. Then install
> AD on it and make it a domain controller... move the data from the old
> server to the new server. Change all my drive mappings etc etc, to point
> to
> the new server... will that work?

When you are upgrading an NT4 domain to Windows 2000, the first
machine to be upgraded must be the PDC on the domain.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...4/default.mspx (This
link is for Windows Server 2003, but much of the same information applies
and there are similar resources for an NT-2K upgrade.)

This doesn't mean that your production PDC needs to be the first machine
upgraded - you can do a clean NT4 install of a "swing" machine as an
additional BDC on your NT4 domain, promote that machine to be the PDC, then
upgrade the clean machine without affecting any apps running on your NT4
PDC. (You should also
install a second "swing" BDC and take it offline completely as a roll-back
option in case you are dissatisfied with the 2000 upgrade for any reason.)
At that point you can transfer your files/folders & shares at your leisure.

>
> If this can be done...will the 5 client pc's (all running XP Pro)
> immediatly
> have to have their DNS settings changed to point to the new servers DNS
> service? or can I leave it alone until I remove the old server (which
> will
> not be for several days....)
>
> If I put DHCP on the new server and remove it from the old..and just
> change the pointers to the new server (which all would need to be done
> anyway)... that would solve the logon (dns) issue, would it not?
>

It's been awhile, but I seem to recall that NT4's DNS supports SRV records,
which are required for Active Directory to function. The old DNS will still
suffice for Internet browsing and the like, but you should at least
configure the W2K DNS as a secondary DNS server for your clients using DHCP
options.