Upgrade Windows 2000 domain AD to Windows 2003 AD

-- I have a small Windows 2000 domain (Active Directory). I’m about to
upgrade the domain to Windows 2003. I just want to make sure I will be doing
it correctly and have somebody who has experience in this type of upgrade
confirm that the procedure that am about to undertake is flawless. I
believe am doing a clean and pristine method.

To simplify the scenario, let’s just say that I have 3 servers in the
domain. There are two domain controllers and one Exchange Server 2000,
namely DC1, DC2 and EXH1 respectively. The DC1 holds all the FSMO
(operation masters). DC1 also has the DHCP server. DC2 is just a backup
domain controller.

Here are the steps that I will make to upgrade the domain to Windows 2003.

1. Run adprep /forestprep on DC1 using a Win 2003 server Standard version CD.
2. Then run adprep /domainprep on DC1
3. Backup system state of DC1 and image DC1 to a mobile hard disk
4. Get a new machine and install Windows 2003 server and install all the
updates/service pack. This machine is will be named DC2003
5. Run DCPROMO on DC2003 to promote the server to a domain controller.
6. Transfer all FSMO roles from DC1 to DC2003
7. Install DHCP on DC2003 and configure it like the DHCP on DC1
8. Use DCPROMO to demote DC1 and take out of the domain.
9. Reformat and install Windows 2003 server on DC2, then run DCPROMO to make
it a domain controller (as the Windows 2003 backup domain controller)

Eventually, I will acquire a new machine and upgrade Exchange 2000 to
Exchange 2003, but that’s another story…or is there anything that I should be
concern now?

Please let me know if there is any flaw in the steps above.


Angel Martires
Director of Information Technology
NSBN LLP