Creating a backup domain controller

[navinkumar123]

Helo everyone
this is navin
i just have a question for you....plz if u could solve it .....

i currently have a primary domain controller on my windows NT 4.0 server.
how can i add a back up domain controller on the server. does it affect my PDC??.
One more thing is i want to migrate this Windows NT 4.0 to windows server 2003 in another server, so how can i create roaming profiles for the users.
Actually how can i take the backup of all the system files.

please reply me back as soon as possible
thanku very much
navin

 

[madmatt]

When you do "dcpromo" you will be asked if this server is your only domain controller. Just say no.

I wouldn't do an upgrade from NT4 to 2003. I did this once and had major issues. Start fresh.

 

[fitz]

?
It has been a long time, but as I recall, dcpromo is an active directory tool and is not available in NT4.

In order to build a BDC in an NT4 domain, I beleive you need to specifiy it during the build (it asks you at some point during the NT4 install if you are installing a member server or domain controller). If you select domain controller, it asks if you are joining an existing domain (ie: create BDC) or creating a new one (ie: create a PDC).

i currently have a primary domain controller on my windows NT 4.0 server.
how can i add a back up domain controller on the server. does it affect my PDC??.

You make it should like you want to add a BDC on the same server as your primary.. this is not possible - they need to be seperate machines.

Adding a Backup DC should not affect your PDC in an NT4 domain environment. NT4 domains are single masters - all changes are all done on the PDC.

One more thing is i want to migrate this Windows NT 4.0 to windows server 2003 in another server, so how can i create roaming profiles for the users.

What does roaming profiles have to do with NT4 to Active directory migration?

Actually how can i take the backup of all the system files.

?! are you not backing up your systems now?! Or are you asking how to migrate users to windows server 2003?

 

[madmatt]

fitz, you are correct. dcpromo is for W2K Server and up.