Add a domain controller that is running Windows Server 2008 R2 to an Active Directory environment running Windows Server 2003.

Because the Domain Controller is using Windows 2003 server-32bit edition, you cannot do in-place upgrading to Windows server 2008 R2, which is 64-bit.

Compute TWO:

Add role: Active Directory Domain Services

DCPROMO

Computer ONE:

Please backup the system state in case you want to recover Windows 2003 Server active directory schema. And check the event viewer for any errors. If any, correct them.

E: drive is the DVD drive.

E:\support\adprep>adprep32.exe /forestprep

ADPREP WARNING:

Before running adprep, all Windows 2000 Active Directory Domain Controllers in the forest should be upgraded to Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4) or later.

[User Action]
If ALL your existing Windows 2000 Active Directory Domain Controllers meet this requirement, type C and then press ENTER to continue. Otherwise, type any other
key and press ENTER to quit.

Adprep successfully updated the forest-wide information.

E:\support\adprep>adprep32.exe /domainprep
Running domainprep ...

Adprep detected that the domain is not in native mode
[Status/Consequence]
Adprep has stopped without making changes.
[User Action]
Configure the domain to run in native mode and re-run domainprep

E:\support\adprep>adprep32.exe /domainprep
Running domainprep ...

Adprep successfully updated the domain-wide information.

The new cross domain planning functionality for Group Policy, RSOP Planning Mode, requires file system and Active Directory Domain Services permissions
to be updated for existing Group Policy Objects (GPOs). You can enable this functionality at any time by running "adprep.exe /domainprep /gpprep" on the
Active Directory Domain Controller that holds the infrastructure operations master role. This operation will cause all GPOs located in the policies folder of the
SYSVOL to be replicated once between the AD DCs in this domain. Microsoft recommends reading KB Q324392, particularly if you have a large number of Group policy Objects.

E:\support\adprep>adprep32.exe /domainprep /gpprep
Running domainprep ...

Domain-wide information has already been updated.
[Status/Consequence]
Adprep did not attempt to rerun this operation.

Adprep successfully updated the Group Policy Object (GPO) information.

Computer TWO:

DCPROMO

Because my environment does not have Windows 2000 DC, I raise the forest functional level to Windows 2003 server.

Transfer FSMO roles to Windows server 2008 R2

Regsvr32 Schmmgmt.dll

After transferring FSMO roles to TWO.Test.com, the Windows 2003 Server domain control takes a long time to start. In the SYSTEM even viewer, the following is listed.

Solution:

Modify the NIC property with the preferred DNS server address pointing to 192.168.11.2, which is the Windows server 2008 R2 computer. It means that the DNS zone replication has not completed. After DNS zone is synchronized, configure the NIC with 192.168.11.1 preferred DNS address. It works fine.

An experiment:

Shutdown ONE.test.com

TWO.test.com will take longer time to restart. The DFSSvc error is reported.

When the ONE.test.com is on, there is no such error recorded in event viewer when restarting TWO.test.com.

In-place upgrade

The domain controller is Windows 2003 server R2-64bit.

When you upgrade the operating system on domain controllers, the computer immediately assumes the role of domain controller after the final restart of the computer. It is not necessary to install Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) by using the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard (Dcpromo.exe).

If the computer is compatible with Windows server 2008 R2,

insert the Windows server 2008 R2 DVD into the DVD ROM (D: drive)

D:\Support\AdPrep\adprep.exe /forestprep

RAISE domain functional level to Native or 2003

D:\Support\AdPrep\adprep.exe /domainprep /GPPrep

For ASUS M2N-E motherboard, the upgrading compatibility check has the following report:

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Before continuing with the upgrade, make sure software vendors support your software on Windows Server 2008 R2. Follow their software specific recommendations before and after the upgrade. To verify software compatibility on the Windows Server Catalog and to download tools and documentation, go to http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=85172

Important: If software isn’t supported on Windows Server 2008 R2, or if the software vendor does not support software that is installed during the upgrade of the operating system, uninstall that software before you upgrade. If you do not uninstall the software, your system will be unsupported, the software might not work, and software settings or other information might be lost.

Note: To continue to use some desktop features, you will need to install Desktop Experience after the upgrade. When the upgrade is complete, run Server Manager, select Add Features, and then install Desktop Experience.

Upgrading Windows will affect the following devices:

These devices might not work properly after the upgrade. Before upgrading, we recommend updating the drivers for these devices.
System devices: ATK0110 ACPI UTILITY

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Even though I could freshly install Windows server 2008 R2 on the M2N-E computer, the upgrade is unsuccessfully. The system rolls back to Windows 2003 Server R2.

How about uninstall the driver for ATK0110 ACPI UTILITY before running the upgrade process?

Checking compatibility...

There is no report about ATK0110 ACPI UTILITY.

The upgrade fails again!!!

The recommended upgrade order is to install Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) on a member server that runs Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 in the forest root domain by using the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard (Dcpromo.exe).

In each domain that has multiple domain controllers, upgrade the operating system on the domain controller that holds the primary domain controller (PDC) emulator operations master role, or transfer the role to a domain controller that runs Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2.