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Naerwen

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Domain Controller Replacement. Need some real advise.

All,

I come to the experts again for guidance. I would like to replace our current Domain controller. We are running at 2K3 Functional Level. We have about 40-ish users on at any given time. We now have 3 domain controllers. The third was today's addition. I am savvy enough to add a domain controller,  however,  I am not experienced enough nor am I confident in my predecessors builds that the domain won't take a hit in some way. Sooooo ...

This is what I would like to do ...

1.) Use DCPROMO on the #2 DC and remove it and its metadata from the domain. Rebuild it and rejoin it to the domain as the #2 once again. <=== I think I can do this, However guidance is appreciated. :)

2.) I want to seize the FSMO rolls on the #1 DC and move them to the newly built and added #3. Then I would like to remove it completely from the domain. This is where my problem begins. I would like to know where/what to keep my eyes on when doing this because as mentioned I am not confident in my experience or my predecessors builds that the domain wont take a hit somehow. Thoughts, Ideas ... help ... PLEASE?! :)

3.) Rebuild the #1 box and seize the FSMO roles back to it from the #3 box.

4.) Finally .... Retire the #3 box to its role as my 'TestServer'. <== I got this part I think.

... The reason for this is that I do not trust the builds in place now. Reason's like the %systemroot% on the #2 is on the 'E' drive ... yes ... the 'E' drive. Also, on the #1 box I have been getting gpt.ini errors. Chasing down issues that were here before me is not something I want to do if I can help it ... easy fix or not. If I built the box and loaded the OS ... then at least ... I know I did it and won't be that afraid of poking around when problems do arise.

In any case, any help is appreciated.

Naerwen
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flyingsky

Your plan should work. Just Make sure you have GCs and transfer the 5 FSMO roles. and make sure you have DNS available. And WINS Server.
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Brian Pierce
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KCTS,
I was afraid that I may have missed something. In your response your refer to running ADPREP. I have not done this and the scenario is that the newly built and already added DC is an R2 installation and the existing DC (GC, FSMO) is not.
Also, I believe that DNS is not AD integrated (not sure how to confirm). I have looked on the existing DC and found that it appears to have been added in the add/remove components. In any case, will installing DNS on the new box interfere with the DNS installation on the existing?
Please advise.
Naerwen
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KCTS,
I have just confirmed that we are, in fact, on AD-Integrated DNS. <== TYVM! for that one!
Also, regarding the ADPREP question. I am in the scenario that my replacement is R2 and my existing is not. The issue is that I have already added the replacement and executed DCPROMO to bring it on as a DC. Should I DCPROMO the replacement back to member and run the ADPREP utility prior to moving forward?
Naerwen
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KCTS,
Thank you for the information. I am proceeding as we chat. If I have further issues, I will post to this question.
Naerwen
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KCTS,
I was not sure of how the whole thing would react. So, I threw together a develpment environment (3 old systems with 2k3 and updates loaded) and tested it there first. Everything went as expected and all is well now.
Thank you for your expertise with this move. It has been truly helpful.
Thank you,
Naerwen
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ASKER

I would like to add that KCTS' direction was integral in me being able to replace our DCs. In addition, Experts Exchange has just paid for itself for the year 10x ... at least. This change would have costed this small business well over 1k to have an outside source execute the replament.