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Upgrade 32-Bit (x86) Domain Controller to 64-Bit DC

Hello Expert,
Management told me to upgrade the current domain controllers into the latest version ASAP, but I am very much confused because our current 3 domain controllers (DC1, DC2 and DC3) are 32-Bit windows 2008 Domain Controllers. My confusion is how we can convert 32-Bit windows 2008 Domain Controllers into 64-Bit windows 2012 domain controllers. Most of the upgrading documentation only explains how to upgrade 64-Bit windows 2008 Domain Controllers into 64-Bit windows 2012 domain controllers.
Please help me with a step-by-step process to upgrade 32-Bit windows 2008 Domain Controllers into 64-Bit windows 2012 domain controllers.
The current AD Infrastructure of our company consists of 3 Domain Controllers as follows:-
1)      DC01:-
      Server Name:-DC01
      Architecture:-Physical Server
      Operating System Installed: - Windows Server 2008 SP1 Standard Edition
      Server type: - 32-bit
      Antivirus Installed:- McAfee VirusScan Enterprise +Antispyware Enterprise
      Domain Functional Level:- Windows Server 2008
      Flexible Single Operations Masters (FSMO) running:-PDC Emulator and Relative Identifier (RID) Master
      Server Roles Installed:-
      DNS
      DHCP
      Global Catalog (GC)
2) CUDDC02:-
      Server Name:-DC02
      Architecture:-Physical Server
      Operating System Installed: - Windows Server 2008 SP1 Standard Edition
      Server type: - 32-bit
      Antivirus:- McAfee VirusScan Enterprise +Antispyware Enterprise
      Domain Functional Level:- Windows Server 2008
      Flexible Single Operations Masters (FSMO) running:-Domain Naming and Schema Master
       Server Roles Installed:-
      DNS
      Global Catalog (GC)
3) DC03:-
      Server Name:-DC03
      Architecture:-Virtual Server
      Operating System Installed: - Windows Server 2008 SP1 Standard Edition
      Server type: - 32-bit
      Antivirus:- McAfee VirusScan Enterprise +Antispyware Enterprise
      Domain Functional Level:- Windows Server 2008
      Flexible Single Operations Masters (FSMO) running:-Infrastructure Master
       Server Roles Installed:-
      DNS
      Global Catalog (GC)

Thank you for the excellent support we are getting from all the "Experts" from Expert-Exchange

Regards,

Will Szymkowski

how we can convert 32-Bit windows 2008 Domain Controllers into 64-Bit windows 2012 domain controllers

32-bit and 64-bit are completely different architectures so you cannot do an in-place upgrade.

You will need to bring up completely new 2012 64-bit servers and promote them as Domain Controllers.
You will then need to move the FSMO roles over to 1 of the 2012 DC's and then demote the other 32bit DC's that you currently have.

Even if your DC's were 64bit, it is not recommended to do in-place upgrades in general, especially for domain controllers.

Will.

Lee W, MVP

I agree with Will, you cannot upgrade in place 32 to 64. You also don't WANT to do it even 64 to 64 as upgrades cannot be as stable as clean installs, even if supported. MIGRATE to new installs and you'll be fine. Run DCDIAG /C /E /V on all DCs before beginning and resolve any unexplained errors.

smpvm

ASKER

Thank Expert for the advice,Do i need to prepare my current 32-Bit windows 2008 Active Directory for both Forest Level and Domain Level by ruining adprep /forestprep and adprep /domainprep first from windows 2012 CD and by the way
can you please explain me what this command will do --> DCDIAG /C /E /V

Regards,

Will Szymkowski

DCDIAG is a tool to test the overall health of a domain controller at its replication partner. You want to ensure that your DC's current state is healthy before you introduce another domain controller.

Also in regards to forest prep, when you promote a 2012 DC this will automatically do the preps for you now. You do not have to manually do this on the Schema Master before promoting a New 2012 DC.

Will.

Lee W, MVP

If you don't know what DCDIAG does on your own, you probably shouldn't be the one doing the upgrade. You're talking about a major change to your systems that run your business and DCDIAG is a common tool anyone with professional level experience with AD will know about (though not always remember to use). If you do this yourself, at best, it sounds like it would be equivalent to a nurse performing an heart bypass operation - yes, she's a medical pro, but clearly that's not her area of expertise and if there was any possibility of getting a heart surgeon, that's what should be done.

In case you disagree with my advice:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/askds/archive/2011/03/22/what-does-dcdiag-actually-do.aspx

smpvm

ASKER

Hello Lee W,
I am 100% agree on you but the problem is we don't have enough in house expertise and very limited budget for IT.so let me do some research and do this upgrade on a test environment and lets see who its going. by they way if you have any step-by-step guide how to upgrade a x86 windows 2008 to x64 windows 2012 domain controllers please update.I got an overall picture from Will Szymkowski post but need a good reference and checklist documentation.

Regards,

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Will Szymkowski

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Lee W, MVP

In theory it should work simply... the problem is when it doesn't. If you don't understand AD and what's going on, and you try to fix it, you could destroy your network.

smpvm

ASKER

good