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Darren CroneFlag for United States of America

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How to download adprep.exe from windows server 2003 r2 media when I don't have the media

How to download adprep.exe from windows server 2003 r2 media when I don't have the media
Thanks,
Darren
Avatar of Cliff Galiher
Cliff Galiher
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If you don't  media to install 2003 R2, why would you need adprep? That version is only useful if you were installing a 2003 R2 domain controller into a very old environment that had never seen a DC higher than 2003. Which to install such a DC would require media anyways...
Agree with Cliff - why not explain why you need it / what you're trying to do?
go to ebay or amazon and buy replacement disks (note: average price is $700USD!) .  Windows Server 2003 has gone past EOL so it is definitely not recommended to spend any more time on this OS, replace it with a more modern OS
The only reason you need a 2003 r2 ADPREP is if your existing network doesn't have any server newer than 2003 (R1/initial release) and you're trying to upgrade to 2003 R2.  

You could just run ADPREP from 2008 media which would bring AD up to 2008 levels and then you can add the outdated 2003 R2 server as a DC to that and enjoy a reliability and security nightmare...

Or you could bring the network in this decade...
Avatar of Darren Crone

ASKER

Yes! I am trying to update my Active Directory and get on to newer O/S's, and Servers with newer hardware. I am trying to get a second domain controller for redundancy. My Current PDC is obviously on older hardware and could die at any moment. So the first thing I am trying to do is get some redundancy with a 2nd domain controller. When I run adprep /forestprep on my current PDC it says, "Forest-wide information has already been updated. Adprep did not attempt to rerun this operation. Same thing with adprep /domainprep. But when I run DCPROMO on my potential Secondary Domain Controller it goes through most of the process and eventually says, The Active Directory Installation Wizard cannot continue because the forest is not prepared for installing Windows Server 2003. The version of the Active Directory schema of the source forest is not compatible with the version of Active Directory on this computer.
Start over.  What do you have now, what are you trying to get to?

You didn't specify and left us to speculate.
Current PDC = Server 2003 sp2 - Active Directory Schema version (30) according to regedit
Potential secondary DC = Server 2003 R2 sp2 - may require Active Directory Schema (31)?!?
Other potential secondary DC = Server 2008 R2 sp1
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Lee W, MVP
Lee W, MVP
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Thanks for mentioning "adprep32.exe." That was the one that made all the difference.
Darren