Migrate 2003R2 DCs to 2008 R2

[timzim]

No need to use the powershell tools, you are right they are quite fidely for certain things as they are designed to deal with all sorts of networks. Just export the scope with netsh and import it to the new server, works great and you get a text file output of your settings as a backup:
How to use the Netsh utility to export and import DHCP scopes
or
How to move a DHCP database from a computer that is running Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 to a computer that is running Windows Server 2003

This line in the TechNet migration guide put me off using netsh:

Note: The Windows Server 2003 operating system does not support Netsh-based backup.

Also the DHCP database structure in W2003 also appears to be different from that used in W2008 R2 - caused me some problems until I removed the DHCP folder contents entirely and then used the recommended Import-SmigServerSetting -featureid DHCP -Force -path <storepath> command to copy the settings across instead.

[oxide54]

depends how complicated your scope is?

if you dont have any reservations, and just a scope assigning a range it would be easier to recreate it.

btw

we don't have any reservations on the "real" dhcp servers as the print server runs dhcp as well purely for the printers as they are on a different vlan

[SYNACK]

This line in the TechNet migration guide put me off using netsh:
Also the DHCP database structure in W2003 also appears to be different from that used in W2008 R2 - caused me some problems until I removed the DHCP folder contents entirely and then used the recommended Import-SmigServerSetting -featureid DHCP -Force -path <storepath> command to copy the settings across instead.

Ah, was sure I had used that before but it must have been 2003 to 2003, used the migration tools the last time but they were mass involved in comparison to the netsh route.