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Is your 2003 server an R2 server or Standard?<br />
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If an R2 server, DFS should be compatible with the 2008 server. So, there is some other underlying problem.
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I see in your original post that it's an R2 2003 server. So, let's diagnose other issues. <br />
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What is your current DFS replication topology?
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I believe the problem has to do with 2003R2 terminal servers getting to the dfs namespace on the 2008 domain controller. &nbsp;2003 to 2008 &nbsp;and/or 2008R2 has major authentication &quot;timeout&quot; problems adding SMB2 registery setting under lanmanserver\paramaters is susposed to force the 2008 servers to use SMB1 authentication, but it does not seem to help with dfs namespace authentication.<br />
<br />
I had to revert back to the 2003R2 file server and remove the namespace from the 2008 Domain Controller. &nbsp;I think I am going to try again using 2008R2 as the domain controller / namespace server.
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Well the authentication comes from AD. Did the 2008 server RD become a DC and get a full AD databased replicated from the 2003 servers??? If not, then you would see the auth time out.<br />
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Also, don't forget to domain prep and sys prep prior to joining your 2008 server to a 2003 domain. We are going from a native mode to a mixed mode environment, it appears. 
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i did the forest and domain preps to 2008, installed 2008 as a DC and moved all of the roles to the new DC (all other DC's are still 2003R2) - the new file server was 2008R2 (not a DC) - I would up having to move all of the roles back to 2003R2 DC and I am about to Demote the 2008 DC.<br />
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I think i am going to forest &nbsp;/ domain prep for 2008R2 &nbsp;and load a 2008R2 domain controller.
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have not demoted the 2008 DC yet, &nbsp;will do tonight and prep for 2003r2
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<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
I have been trying to move from a 2003R2 File Server to a 2008R2 file server for 8 days now.<br />
<br />
3 weeks ago were were a 2003R2 only site.<br />
<br />
I added a 2008 domain controller, a 2008R2 file server.<br />
<br />
We are using dfs, so i added the 2008 domain controller as a dfs namespace server.<br />
<br />
I migrate folders to the new 2008R2 server using robocopy,the i make the new location active in dfs (and the old one inactive).<br />
<br />
after 15 minutes the new dfs root on the 2008r2 server starts working.<br />
<br />
Now my users start locking up when they try to open the root folder for the domain.<br />
<br />
I did find where I had to add a SMB2 registery setting under lanmanserver\paramaters due to 2003r2 to 2008r2 problems - I made that change yesterday and rebooted but today when i try to migrate folders, the users start locking up when they try to open \\domain\root.<br />
<br />
should i remove the 2008r2 server as a namespace server? &nbsp;if so how?<br />
<br />
any other ideas?
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I have been trying to move from a 2003R2 File Server to a 2008R2 file server for 8 days now.

3 weeks ago were were a 2003R2 only site.

I added a 2008 domain controller, a 2008R2 file server.

We are using dfs, so i added the 2008 domain controller as a dfs namespace server.

I migrate folders to the new 2008R2 server using robocopy,the i make the new location active in dfs (and the old one inactive).

after 15 minutes the new dfs root on the 2008r2 server starts working.

Now my users start locking up when they try to open the root folder for the domain.

I did find where I had to add a SMB2 registery setting under lanmanserver\paramaters due to 2003r2 to 2008r2 problems - I made that change yesterday and rebooted but today when i try to migrate folders, the users start locking up when they try to open \\domain\root.

should i remove the 2008r2 server as a namespace server?  if so how?

any other ideas?

DFS Root problems with 2003R2 to 2008R2

Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, based on the Microsoft Vista codebase, is the last 32-bit server operating system released by Microsoft. It has a number of versions, including including Foundation, Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, Web, HPC Server, Itanium and Storage; new features included server core installation and Hyper-V.

Windows Server 2008

Windows Server 2003 was based on Windows XP and was released in four editions: Web, Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter. It also had derivative versions for clusters, storage and Microsoft’s Small Business Server. Important upgrades included integrating Internet Information Services (IIS), improvements to Active Directory (AD) and Group Policy (GP), and the migration to Automated System Recovery (ASR).