C:\WinNT and C:\Windows

[Michael]

Hi everyone,

I recently had to perform a complete restore of my 2003 R2 DC which went down over Christmas, but thankfully, thanks to everyone's help here the server is now back online.

I attended a new school on Wednesday who currently have a 2000 and 2003 server in the one domain, but here's the problem:

I am considering upgrading the 2000 Server to 2003 (which should work fine), however by default, Windows 2000 Server installs in the C:\WinNT directory, whereas 2003 installs in C:\Windows. However if I did upgrade 2000 Server to 2003 Server, the C:\WinNT directory would remain.

I could backup the server completely (including the state), but, hypothetically speaking, lets say the system disk goes down. I replace the disk, re-install Server 2003 and then attempt to restore the backup. Problem, Windows Server 2003 installs to the C:\Windows directory, whereas my backup would be C:\WinNT. How would I do it?

Apart from formatting and re-installing properly, (from the start) what are my other options?

Many thanks

[PiqueABoo]

How would I do it?

With an answer file on a floppy telling your pre-restore 2K3 install to use WINNT. There's a KB somewhere on MS about this.

[Michael]

Thanks for that PiqueABoo

I never knew that option was available using Setup Manager. I managed to find the KB article here

I'm glad Microsoft have made it easier. I managed to find articles relating to NT3.51 to NT4.0 and the methods are awful!

Many thanks!

[PiqueABoo]

That's not what I was thinking of... ::gets penstick:: .. ::wishes it were more organised:: .. and eventually:

KB235478 Recovering from failed system drive with nondefault %SystemRoot% folder

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/235478

[Michael]

Thanks for the link. It's put my mind at rest now I know how to go about it.

The method still involves booting off a good old floppy disk with WINNT.SIF. Is there a way I could integrate WINNT.SIF onto the Windows CD itself, say for example I had already created a slipstreamed CD?

Thanks again!

[SYNACK]

Thanks for the link. It's put my mind at rest now I know how to go about it.

The method still involves booting off a good old floppy disk with WINNT.SIF. Is there a way I could integrate WINNT.SIF onto the Windows CD itself, say for example I had already created a slipstreamed CD?

Thanks again!

Just put it in the i386 folder like in a slipstreamed XP CD and it should read it and apply it just like XP.

[Michael]

Thanks SYNACK