2008 r2 and 2003 std 32bit

[mirojr]

Is it ill advised to have 2 domain controllers, one with 32bit 2003 svr std, and the other with 2008 R2 standard?

 

Thanks

[3s-gtech]

I have the same setup, but with two 2003 DCs and one 2008 R2 DC. Works fine, but I have only upgraded my schema to Server 2003 and not beyond.

[mirojr]

Thanks

 

Is it straightforward to set 2008 to run in 2003 mode or schema?

[ChrisH]

Thanks

 

Is it straightforward to set 2008 to run in 2003 mode or schema?

You need to Google Domain and Forest functional levels and that will give you your answers. You will have to do a schema update if you are currently a 2003 site.

[teejay]

Thanks

 

Is it straightforward to set 2008 to run in 2003 mode or schema?

 

Yes, you just need to run adprep32 from the 2008 R2 DVD on your existing DC first:

To extend the forest schema the administrator should run the following command from Windows 2008 R2 disk on SBS 2003 or Windows 2003 STD

 

:\SUPPORT\ADPREP> Adprep32.exe /forestPrep

 

To extend the domain schema the administrator should run the following command from Windows 2008 R2 disk on SBS 2003 or Windows 2003 STD

 

:\SUPPORT\ADPREP> Adprep32.exe /domainPrep

[mirojr]

Is this going to take the functional level up to 2008?

 

I thought that I was supposed to keep the functinal level at 2003, to have them both run together?

 

Is this not the case?

 

Will i be able to run them side by side from then on if I run through the adprep?

 

Thanks

[teejay]

Is this going to take the functional level up to 2008?

 

I thought that I was supposed to keep the functinal level at 2003, to have them both run together?

 

Is this not the case?

 

Will i be able to run them side by side from then on if I run through the adprep?

 

Thanks

 

No, all it does is prep the existing domain & forest, you will still be in 2003 mode.

[3s-gtech]

If you will still be using any Server 2003 boxes for domain controllers, you cannot raise the functional level above 2003 - it must be set at the level of the oldest OS. I'm looking into this here, as I only got rid of my last Server 2000 machine last year, and now need to look at pensioning off 2003.

[mirojr]

I ran adprep commands and tried to join 2008 as DC , but still get flagged and told to run adprep.

 

Wonder if the x64bit is the issue.

 

I read that you can only run adprep off a 32bit DVD, on a 32bit server, so thats waht i did.

[teejay]

I ran adprep commands and tried to join 2008 as DC , but still get flagged and told to run adprep.

 

Wonder if the x64bit is the issue.

 

I read that you can only run adprep off a 32bit DVD, on a 32bit server, so thats waht i did.

 

Read my post earlier, you run adprep32.exe, not adprep.exe. 2008R2 is 64 bit only so there is no 32 bit disk. Adprep32 works fine, did this over half term with no problems. It also needs to be run on your DC with the FSMO roles.