# Adding a Windows 2003 server to a 2000 domain



## stooj (Nov 9, 2009)

Wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction here:

We have two Windows 2000 servers running as AD servers. After picking up a few 2003 licenses I'm trying to add a 2003 server to the mix (with the intention of retiring the old ones in the future).

I've run adprep /forestprep on the schema master and adprep /domainprep on the domain master. Both finished without errors and when I try to run them again, they report that the prep has already been completed.
However, when I try to run the AD wizard on the 2003 machine, I get an error saying that the "forest is unprepared for installing 2003. Use the adprep command to prepare both the forest and the domain. <snip> The version of Active Directory schema of the source forest is not compatible with the version of Active Directory on this computer."

Any suggestions about what to try next? All the machines are running 32 bit OSes (there was some 32/64 mix incompatibility reported on technet).
Both Server 2000 machines are running SP4

Cheers all


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Run adprep from the Windows 2003 installation CD. It will update the 2000 AD schema to 2003 schema. That is the proper way to do it.


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## stooj (Nov 9, 2009)

Do you mean "run adprep" without any arguments?
I've already run adprep /forestprep & adprep /domainprep on the 2000 servers and both have completed without errors. They now refuse to be rerun, stating "adprep has already been completed".


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Put the Windows server 2003 CD in the Windows 2000 server and run that version of ADPREP with the proper switches from the CD. I think I said that in my previous post.


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## stooj (Nov 9, 2009)

Already done that. I guess I was a bit vague in my original post. I've run adprep /forestprep on the schema master and adprep /domainprep on the domain master. The adprep tool was on the Windows 2003 CD.
The objectVersion attribute of the forest is 30 (meaning it's the correct version for Win 2003). However, Windows 2003 server still refuses to add itself as an AD server.


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Is the server that is running 2000 a SBS server or an enterprise server? Who holds the FSMO. If the 2000 server is the domain controller, what other roles does it have. Have you joined the 2003 server to the 2000 domain? What FSMO roles is the server 2000 running? Is DNS also set up and running corectly?

Run this at the cmd prompt: netdom query fsmo


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## Colossus610 (Jun 15, 2005)

Trying to get back to basics - Like Rockn asked; is the 2003 server a member server of the existing domain?
It's easier to run DCpromo on a domain member server; you would run dcpromo from the Run prompt on 2003 server and choose "new domain controller in an existing forest/domain" during the questionaire portion.


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