Hi I have a win2k3 Server with a domain name "Micromedia.com" and Win7 clients connected to it. I would like to know if i setup a Server with win2k8 with the same domain name "Micromedia.com" can i use the clients with out any changes. If possible can i have the configuration steps. Regards Jayakumar Narayanan - India

unless you want to start anew, you would normaly join the windows 2008 server to your existing domain, then promote the new server as a additional domain controller (running the command dcpromo and selecting additional dc for existing domain). depending on your required domain level, you can lateron demote the old domain controller and raise forest/domain levels to windows 2008. depending how the clients get their settings, you have to add in their network settings the new server as additional dns server (or configure your dhcp server to hand out the additional dns entry). if you demote the old dc, its important to have the clients dns settings reconfigured before, esle they wont find the new server.

Hello Jayakumar, Is your intention to use windows 2008 server as domain controller for "Micromedia.com" instead of windows 2003 server.Better option is migrate your windows 2003 DC to windows 2008 DC. I suggest refer this similar kind of thread for the same. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverMigration/thread/d815ba1b-96a5-4147-86bf-e36dbfa82395/ Regards, Ravikumar P

Hi I have a win2k3 Server with a domain name "Micromedia.com" and Win7 clients connected to it. I would like to know if i setup a Server with win2k8 with the same domain name "Micromedia.com" can i use the clients with out any changes. If possible can i have the configuration steps. Regards Jayakumar Narayanan - India Hello, No you can not. Domains are identified based on use of SIDs and your new AD domain will have a different one so it is clear that it is completely different from your current one. If you want to make switching as transparent as possible, you can create a new AD domain with a different NetBIOS and DNS name and then use ADMT to migrate AD objects to the new domain. Once done, you can rename the new domain to be "Micromedia.com". For ADMT: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=19188 To rename an AD domain: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738208%28v=ws.10%29.aspx If you want just to add an additional DC then there is no need to create a new domain. If you are planning to use a Windows Server 2008 DC instead of a Windows Server 2003 one, proceed like that: Upgrade to AD DS 2008: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=6170Add the new server as an additional DC and make it a DC and DNS server and also a GCTransfer FSMO roles to the new DCDemote the old DC Here, note that it is recommended to have at least two DC / DNS / GC servers per AD domain for high-availability of AD / DNS services and to minimize risks of losing your AD domain. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights. Microsoft Student Partner 2010 / 2011 Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Security Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: Security Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows 7, Configuring Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Designing and Providing Volume Licensing Solutions to Large Organizations Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator Microsoft Certified Trainer

Hi I have a win2k3 Server with a domain name "Micromedia.com" and Win7 clients connected to it. I would like to know if i setup a Server with win2k8 with the same domain name "Micromedia.com" can i use the clients with out any changes. If possible can i have the configuration steps. Regards Jayakumar Narayanan - India Hello, No you can not. Domains are identified based on use of SIDs and your new AD domain will have a different one so it is clear that it is completely different from your current one. If you want to make switching as transparent as possible, you can create a new AD domain with a different NetBIOS and DNS name and then use ADMT to migrate AD objects to the new domain. Once done, you can rename the new domain to be "Micromedia.com". For ADMT: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=19188 To rename an AD domain: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738208%28v=ws.10%29.aspx If you want just to add an additional DC then there is no need to create a new domain. If you are planning to use a Windows Server 2008 DC instead of a Windows Server 2003 one, proceed like that: Upgrade to AD DS 2008: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=6170Add the new server as an additional DC and make it a DC and DNS server and also a GCTransfer FSMO roles to the new DCDemote the old DC Here, note that it is recommended to have at least two DC / DNS / GC servers per AD domain for high-availability of AD / DNS services and to minimize risks of losing your AD domain. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights. Microsoft Student Partner 2010 / 2011 Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Security Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: Security Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Applications Infrastructure, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows 7, Configuring Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Designing and Providing Volume Licensing Solutions to Large Organizations Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator Microsoft Certified Trainer

Hello, no you can't. A new installed domain with the same name has stil a new SID(Security Identifier) and NO machine from the other domain is able to logon. This requires a new join process to the new installed domain. Of course this also belongs to user accounts, even if they have the same name. See here about installing a new OS DC into an existing domain http://msmvps.com/blogs/mweber/archive/2010/02/10/upgrading-an-active-directory-domain-from-windows-server-2003-to-windows-server-2008-or-windows-server-2008-r2.aspx Best regards Meinolf Weber MVP, MCP, MCTS Microsoft MVP - Directory Services My Blog: http://msmvps.com/blogs/mweber/ Disclaimer: This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.