transfer FSMO

[kevin_lane]

I am just about to transfer FSMO from my windows 2003 server to my 2008 domain controller. I just wanted to get peoples opinons on any problems they have came across on doing this

[2097]

Ive done it once , Try and keep the old DC Offline and intact and not format it ! i did this once and all roles had not transferd ! lol

[kevin_lane]

lol ouch sorry to hear that

[Chuckster]

Never had any problems transfering FSMO roles. I just transfered them across to my 2008 R2 DC and then demoted the 2003 DC to a member server. I never had to wipe and format it. Once it was demoted it just became a simple file server.

[kevin_lane]

with regards to my Certificate Authorities Server which is on the same domain controller where I’m transferring it from should this have any implications I’m pretty sure it won’t but I can’t be too sure.

[pete]

with regards to my Certificate Authorities Server which is on the same domain controller where I’m transferring it from should this have any implications I’m pretty sure it won’t but I can’t be too sure.

Not with the transfer of roles, but you won't be able to demote the 2003 DC while it's a CA. You'll need to backup the CA, uninstall certificate services, demote it and then either restore the CA or restore the CA to another server.

Oh, and if dcdiag gives you Big Scary Errors after transferring roles, check you're using an elevated prompt.

http://www.petri.co.il/transferring_fsmo_roles.htm

After transferring, wander off for 15 minutes to let it settle, then check

netdom query fsmo

gives what you expect to find

[kevin_lane]

not had chance to change roles yet was thinking would most prob be best to do this after hours ?

[plexer]

Yes deinfately do it our of hours just to be safe and have a verified backup of all servers involved, just in case

Ben

[SkreeM1980]

We transferred the roles with no problems at all, I did it in hours, and took a System State backup to a file from the DC's holding the roles before the move which could have been used as an authoratitive restore if needed. The problems only started after the i had demoted the 2003 DC's and found a couple of things that were a struggle(VMWare view composer for one), fixed by changing the default domain controller policy to allow legacy connections

SKr

[kevin_lane]

i take this means everything is good C:\Users\kevinl>netdom query fsmo
Schema master DC1.westpark.local
Domain naming master DC1.westpark.local
PDC DC1.westpark.local
RID pool manager DC1.westpark.local
Infrastructure master DC1.westpark.local
The command completed successfully.

first time ever done anything like things like this should be coverd in ma mcsa course not haveing to go on ms web site and look thank you for all ur help and guidence

[sukh]

@kevin

1. Yes. You're able to query AD successfully of the roles.
2. I believe this is part of the MCSA if not MCSE. Or the new track MCITP:SA/EA

Sukh

[Dos_Box]

first time ever done anything like things like this should be coverd in ma mcsa course not haveing to go on ms web site and look thank you for all ur help and guidence

Welcome to our world. To be fair, Windows Server is now so vast that you simply cannot cover it all, or at least cover it and remember it and certification only covers what could be termed the 'basics'. Alomst everyone here, quailified, certified or experienced knows that with almost any task that is not daily routine you will have to look up instructions and how-to's. I've had to move FSMO roles many times over the years, and each time I've had to look up the instructions, because with any task that has the potential to horribly break your network it's better to be safe than sorry.

*Sigh, I remember my NT4.0 MCSE books. They were like chldrens short stories compared to the volumes you now require!!

[plexer]

fsmo rolea and transferring/seizing was covered in my mcitp:sa but quite briefly.

Ben

[kevin_lane]

I have been using 2k3 for some time but when you are just a normal tech its not one of them things that you must always remember I have been a NM for about 2 years now and still it’s scary in knowing you have to be more vigilant with yourself in case anything does happen and hopefully your experience and any courses you may have been on covers whatever problem is rising but must say thank god for forums and kb articles’ I was going to say TechNet forum but they can be somewhat dead sometimes no one will never replies to your thread were as here someone will always try and help

[IanT]

As long as you know what your doing and doing it correctly you wont run into any problems.

If you do transfer FSMO roles always check the event viewer for errors and make sure replication is working happy, there a pretty neat application called NetIQ ADCheck and Dovestones Software: FSMORoles which will check where your FSMO roles are.