Question

Promoting and demoting Windows 2000 servers domain controller

Asked by: jeffreychorba

I currently have a Windows 2000 server runnning as a primary DC.  I have recently purchased another server that I want to replace the current one with.  I installed server 2000 and set it up as a secondary domain controller.  What do I need to do to demote the old new  server and promote the new one as primary?  Eventually I will remove the old server.

Thanks,

Jeff

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Asked On
2007-09-14 at 11:05:48ID22829661
Tags

demote

,

2000

,

controller

,

domain

,

windows

Topics

Microsoft Operating Systems

,

Windows 2000 Server

,

Active Directory

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
3

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Answers

 

by: xeyeclanPosted on 2007-09-14 at 11:40:26ID: 19894039

You need to transfer the FSMO Roles to the new DC.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255690

Then run dcpromo to demote the old DC.

In case you run into any issues:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216498

 

by: KCTSPosted on 2007-09-14 at 13:00:07ID: 19894745

Its a bit more complex than that:-

Install Windows 2000 on the new machine

Assign the new computer an IP address and subnet mask on the existing network
Make sure that the preferred DNS server on new machine points to the existing DNS Server on the Domain (normally the existing domain controller)

Join the new machine to the existing domain as a member server


From the command line promote the new machine to a domain controller with the DCPROMO command from the command line
Select Additional Domain Controller in an existing Domain

Once Active Directory is installed then to make the new machine a global catalog server, go to Administrative Tools, Active Directory Sites and Services, Expand ,Sites, Default first site and Servers. Right click on the new server and select properties and tick the Global Catalog checkbox. (Global catalog is essential for logon as it needs to be queried to establish Universal Group Membership)

Assuming that you were using Active Directory Integrated DNS on the first Domain Controller, DNS will have replicated to the new domain controller along with Active Directory.

If you are using DHCP you also need to move across to the new domain controller. Dont forget to set the default gateway (router) and DNS Servers.

Talking of DNS all the clients (and severs) need to have their Preferred DNS server set to one domain controller.

If you are intent on rmoveing the olther DC then you should cleanly transfer the FSMO roles, if it is an unplanned emergency the FSMO roles can be seized. See http://www.petri.co.il/transferring_fsmo_roles.htm

You can then power down the old DC and make sure it all works - assuming it does - power it back up and run DCPROMO on it to remove it as a DC, you can ten remove it from the domain if necessary.

PS. Its always a good idea to have at least two DCs for resilliance.

 

by: vsg375Posted on 2007-09-15 at 13:53:16ID: 19898582

KTCS is perfectly right. Having only one DC is definitely not a safe solution. I'd keep the old server as a DC if possible. It will just be there for resilience purposes, no need to keep any services under maintenance on that one, except DNS. DHCP can safely be transferred to the new DC.

If you really have to take the old DC offline, once you have followed the procedures indicated by KCTS, my advice is to wait a couple of days to make sure replication is working prefectly. Then I'd demote the other DC and wait another 24 hours to check the event logs.

HTH
Cheers

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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