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In-place upgrade of Win NT 4.0 Server to SBS 2003

Hi. I have a small office that is running Win NT 4.0 Server with Exchange 5.5 and about 10-12 users. We want to upgrade to Small Business Server 2003 but our server is fairly new so we want to use the same machine. I know I can't just upgrade from NT 4.0 Server to SBS 2003 so I was thinking of first upgrading to Win2KSmall Business Server and then upgrading to SBS 2003. The only issue is that I don't have Win2K SBS and I don't want to have to purchase it just for a temporary step!

QUestions:

1) If I just wanted to do a clean install of SBS 2003, how do I save all of the exchange info (user mailboxes, public folders, etc.) so that I can import into Exchange in SBS 2003?

2) Is there easier way of doing this that I am not thinking of?

3) I accidentally got the OEM version of SBS 2003. Does that support upgrading?

THanks!

Lazarus

You can do it without having to buy extra software...

You need to get the Migration Toolkit for starters though: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/upgrading/nt4/tooldocs/msfsc.mspx

The File Server Migration Toolkit provides the following benefits:

Simplifies the complex and error-prone migration process
Maintains UNC paths and eliminates broken shortcuts and links
Maintains security settings after the migration
Consolidates shared folders with the same names from different servers
Supports server clusters as source and target file servers
Provides roll-back functionality

Reference:

White Paper:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/upgrading/nt4/tooldocs/msfst_over
view.mspx

Windows Server 2003: Scalable File Server Consolidation
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/fileconsol.mspx

I hope this helps you out...

Lazarus

Lazarus

Sorry, I missed a bit on the Whitepaper link : http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/upgrading/nt4/tooldocs/msfst_overview.mspx

harleyjd

You won't be able to upgrade in place without problems, and the OEM version doesn't support upgrades, as it is only valid on new hardware.

there is a great guide on SBS4.5 to SBS 2003 here, uses ADMT to transfer User & computer accounts, groups and includes SIDS so no messy profile and permission issues. Exchange data is transferred via the exchange migration wizard that is in-built.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/techinfo/productdoc/default.mspx

The hardware is going to be a problem, and there is little we can do to help there...

dcheest

ASKER

Lazarus98: Thanks for your answer but I'm not sure if you understood my situation. I need to do in in-place upgrade on the same machine so I can't use the File Server migration toolkit you suggested. That appears to only work from an old machine to a new replacement machine (a "Migration" vs. an "Upgrade").

dcheest

ASKER

harleyjd: Thanks for your response. I don't really have the option of purchasing a new server and doing a migration as that is a bit beyond our budget (especially when the current server is fairly new). As far as I can see my only options are

A) upgrade to W2K SBS and then upgrade SBS 2003 (getting a retail version instead of my current OEM version)

B) Save exchange info (save mailboxes as PST files on client machines, export public folders and contacts, etc.) and do a clean install of SBS 2003. I would then have to manually recreate users, join them to the new domain, and then restore their mailboxes.

Does this seem about right. Is there a tool for backing up exchange mailboxes?

Thanks!

SOLUTION

Lazarus

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harleyjd

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dcheest

ASKER

Thanks for all of your help. I think harleyjd has the right answer. I had sort of arrived at this conclusion on my own last night but I am really glad to have someone confirm that it is a good idea and to remind me of exmerge!

So my final solution will be:

purchase new hard drive and stick in a temporary machine
load NT 4 server on temp machine
make temp machine a BDC and exchmerge all exchange mailboxes
promote temp machine to PDC and have it take over mail server role
trash current server and reload with SBS 2003
use admt/exmerge to migrate accounts from temp server to SBS 2003
migrate clients to new server
pull out hard drive on temp machine and replace with original

Thanks for all your help! Looks like I have a great weekend ahead of me!!!

harleyjd

yeah, that's better.

I assumed the main server was SBS, so you'd need the double ADMT, but your plan is much better, and will save you issues later...

thx for the points...