Hi,
I am trying to go through the process of upgrading an NT4 domain to
Windows Server 2003. The basic steps I'm taking to get a clean install
Win2003 Domain Controller (courtesy of Christian in this group) are:
1 - Create 2 NT4 domain controllers, and join them to your domain as backup
domain controllers. They can be workstations.
2 - Make sure they have replicated. Take them both off of your LAN.
3 - Put one aside. This is your life boat.
4 - Take the other one, and promote it to a PDC. (Make sure it is off your
production LAN).
5 - Use your W2K3 disc and upgrade your new off-line PDC. You now have a
W2K3 domain controller with your current domain info.
6 - Install a fresh W2K3 server (this will be your real production W2K3
server) on your new hardware as a domain controller.
7 - Make sure the servers replicate. Use replemon.exe which is on the
Windows 2003 CD in \support\tools\
8 - Transfer the FSMO roles from your temp DC to your permanent DC.
(http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;324801)
9 - Attach your new DC to your LAN, and demote your old NT4 PDC.
Most of this works just fine. However, I have a problem with both the
upgraded NT4 BDC (step 5) and the fresh W2K3 server with replicated domain
info (step 7). They both hang while applying updates from either the
Windows Update site or using Automatic Updates. Through a little research,
I have found that they are hanging during the clean up process of the
install. There are certain updates that cause this behavior, and it is
reproducible. Today, I spent 7 hours on the phone with Microsoft Tech
Support, and they don't have a solid idea what's causing the problem. What
we do know is that it has to do with my domain info replicated to W2K3. If
I try to apply updates on a stand alone W2K3 server, there are no problems.
If I try to apply the updates on a W2K3 server with a new domain, there are
no problems. I am logged in as the domain administrator account when I do
the updates, and MS Tech Support was not able to see any permissions issues.
Is it possible that my NT4 account database has some corruption? Do I
need to do some other things to my NT4 domain before I try to transfer it?
Are there some rights I might need to assign after transferring the domain
info to W2K3? Is it really possible that no one else has had this problem?
(Sorry, frustration setting in there.)
If you read to this point, thanks for sticking with me. Any help is
GREATLY appreciated.
Thank you,
Jerry
