server -> BDC

I know this is Windows Admin 101 stuff that I should already know. But it's something I've never had to do before and I'm not sure how to get it done.

I have a new Windows NT 4.0 Server (this is the new one we just got with the RAID array and all). When I booted it up, it installed a fresh copy of the NT4 operating system. Sweet, saved me the trouble.

Even better, it installed a few useful utilities like the RAID array management software. Cool, OK. I check to see all the stuff it installed, and there wasn't a lot of bloat. In fact, it's a pretty clean system. Hmm, I might not have to bare-metal-format this thing and start over after all.

But the fresh-boot-installation did not offer me the option of making this thing a BDC (backup domain controller) which is necessary for its intended purpose (which is to eventually be promoted to PDC). It's a plain-vanilla NT4 server.

How the heck to I change this thing to a backup domain controller from a regular server? I know I could bare-metal the thing and start over, but I'd like to avoid that now if I can.

How the heck to I change this thing to a backup domain controller from a regular server? I know I could bare-metal the thing and start over, but I'd like to avoid that now if I can.


Based on what I remember from doing MS.... You can't. Fresh install is required. IF it is possible, it should be an option available in the server manager.

Sorry.

Hmm, did I mention how much I hate Microsoft?

Now, to locate the Dell OEM setup file that specifies whether or not it's a backup domain controller, then I re-run their OEM setup.

If I understand correctly, this is as if you had to reinstall a Solaris in order to start a NIS+ server, right? Yeah, Microsoft is making enterprise-caliber operating systems, sure!

If I understand correctly, this is as if you had to reinstall a Solaris in order to start a NIS+ server, right? Yeah, Microsoft is making enterprise-caliber operating systems, sure!

Yes, that would be correct. But to be fair, this is an issue with an OS approaching 7 years old now. Windows 2000 does not have this type of odd problem in it's design. You can easially switch between Active Directory member and standalone server until your blue in the face with no reload. True it took them a bit, but they are getting better.

Okay, got my problems sorted out. Thanks everyone.

Digging up this from the past, Tony. What did you end up doing? I have a server as standalone and want it to become a BDC to sync things up and then a PDC to take over from the old PDC. I've read that generally this isn't possible. One utility called upromote will do it apparently, but I need to do it fairly quickly (and cheaply).

I found another post of yours here in this thread. Is that what you did? I can't get it to work at the moment.

I ended up re-installing the operating system on that server. It was necessary in order to make it a domain controller.

As I said, I always take the opportunity to install the OS from scratch, but in this one case I had a server with a fresh OS already on it and was hoping to save a step. Instead, I just bit the bullet and re-installed the OS as a domain controller, then dug up all the necessary OEM utilities.

It actually turned out to be a PDC for another domain and yes I managed to get it to change domains and become a BDC for it's new domain. This will save me a fair bit more work than it would have for you since this server is already setup for all sorts of other things I will need. Thanks anyway.