# Swapping Windows 2003 active directory servers



## happysmurf (Dec 9, 2010)

I have been given the task of transfering a windows 2003 domain controller. The current server is low spec and is causing delays. THe company have purchase a new server with more memory etc. They want to use the new server as the domain controller / dns server. We then want to remove the dns / active directory roles off the old server.

The low spec server is a windows 2003 server with the following active directory roles:
Schema Master,Domain naming master, Infrastructure Master, Relative ID (RID) Master,PDC Emulator, global catalog

I have installed Windows 2003 standard on the new server. I have added the dns and active directory roles. Finally transfered the above ad roles by following this ms article

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324801

All works ok, until I shut down the old server. I can not use group policy manager to model a user when the old server is shutdown. Although I can edit the group policies. I believe the pc's are not apply the gpo correctly as they are slow to log on when the old server is switched off. I have removed the dns role from the old server. I do not want to remove the ad role until I am sure the new server is working correctly.

DCDiag returns no errors. All my tests so far show the new domain controller to be working correctly. I can not find any errors to the error log.

Does anyone know what could be causing this problem?

Thanks


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## srhoades (May 15, 2003)

You need to configure whatever is handing out DHCP addresses to have the new server as the primary DNS server. If the machines have static IP addresses then you will need to configure that manually. You also need to demote the old server out of the domain if you don't plan on using it anymore.


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## happysmurf (Dec 9, 2010)

Thanks for information. The DHCP server is on a seperate Win 2003 server. I forgot to say when I swapped domain controllers I changed their IP's. Therefore, the new server has the IP address of the old server. I allocated a new ip address to the old server.

I checked in WINS/DNS and both are reporting back the correct ip addresses. 

I haven't changes the names of the server. Will active dicrectory use the server name for some request?


I would prefer not removing the ad role from the old server until I know the new server is operating correctly.


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## srhoades (May 15, 2003)

The new server should not have the address of the old server if it has all the roles and is now acting as the primary DNS server. The old server should have as its primary DNS entry the new server. The workstations all need to to have the new server as the primary DNS server so they know where to go to authenticate at logon.


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## happysmurf (Dec 9, 2010)

The orginal dc had a ip of 10.x.x.51 the new server had a ip address of 10.x.x.52. I added active directory and dns roles to 10.x.x.52. I then changed the ip address of the origanal dc to 10.x.x.53. Finally, I changed the ip address of the new dc 10.x.x.51. Therefore, I shouldn't need to change DHCP or static servers as the IP has not changed. 

I have removed the DNS role from the orignal server. The origanal server still has the ad role.

When ever I switch off the original server, I get the problem with group policy objects. 

Have I caused a problem by changing the ip. WINS and DNS seem to had handled the ip change correctly.


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## srhoades (May 15, 2003)

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think your are supposed to change the IP of an AD/DNS server, that might be part of the problem. Check the logs on the new server, I suspect AD did not replicate properly hence the group policy errors.


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Why would you go the roundabout way of doing this when all you needed to do was set the new server up as a domain controller, integrate AD/DNS and make sure they were replic ating properly. Transfer any roles that the old server held to the new server and uninstall AD/DNS from the old server.


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