Windows Active Directory 2003 to Windows 2012
Hello,
I have been given a Windows 2003 Server to upgrade to Windows 2012. It has over 7000 plus object, users, and computers.
The server has not been properly maintained and been sorely neglected. There are DNS issues, replication issues (3 domain controllers), and numerous errors that I don't even know where to begin.
I wanted to know what would be the best and of course safest way to upgrade them. A couple of things I've been looking at doing but wanted to get some sound insight from the experts.. :-)
Option 1) Should I create a new Windows 2012 server and take over the FSMO roles or will that introduce the same errors that is currently being introduced?
Option 2) Is there a way to migrate all the users and computers and import them into a new freshly installed windows 2012 domain controller with the same domain name? I recognize this will have issues, but I wanted to have a clean install with little to no errors upon installation with DNS and integration.
Option 3) Not sure - start fresh and just reado entire domain.. Yikes!!
Option 4) Other
Adding user and computers is not a problem. The main DC seems to be operating properly, replication seems to be happening on the domain controllers, but there are tons of errors.
Thanks in advance....
I have been given a Windows 2003 Server to upgrade to Windows 2012. It has over 7000 plus object, users, and computers.
The server has not been properly maintained and been sorely neglected. There are DNS issues, replication issues (3 domain controllers), and numerous errors that I don't even know where to begin.
I wanted to know what would be the best and of course safest way to upgrade them. A couple of things I've been looking at doing but wanted to get some sound insight from the experts.. :-)
Option 1) Should I create a new Windows 2012 server and take over the FSMO roles or will that introduce the same errors that is currently being introduced?
Option 2) Is there a way to migrate all the users and computers and import them into a new freshly installed windows 2012 domain controller with the same domain name? I recognize this will have issues, but I wanted to have a clean install with little to no errors upon installation with DNS and integration.
Option 3) Not sure - start fresh and just reado entire domain.. Yikes!!
Option 4) Other
Adding user and computers is not a problem. The main DC seems to be operating properly, replication seems to be happening on the domain controllers, but there are tons of errors.
Thanks in advance....
David Johnson, CD
I'd fix the known problems first or you will just be bringing over the old garbage to the new server. If they don't need the additional DC's you can make them member servers and work from the main DC and your new 2012 server promoted to a DC.. note you will have to run addprep32.exe from your installation disk on the S2K3 server
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Fresh install and migrate users and computers