Migrating 32 bit Active Directory to 64 Bit

 

  1. Raise Domain Functional Level
  2. Prepare your current Windows 2003 Active Directory for Windows Server 2008 domain controllers.
  3. Set up Domain Controller which is 64 bit

1. Raise Domain Functional Level
We need to configure the domain to run in native mode, this is done by:

· On the Windows Server 2003 Domain Controller, run Active Directory User and Computers snap-in by clicking on Start > Administrative Tools > Active Directory User and Computers

Right Click the Domain Name node, then click on Raise Domain Functional Level if it is in windows 200 mixed mode. Else proceed to Step 2

2. Prepare current Windows 2003 Active Directory

· Before you can have a 2008 server domain controller in your existing 2003 domain, we will need to prepare both the Forest Level and the Domain level, this is done by running the following commands on the Windows Server 2003 Domain Controller.

· Insert the Windows Server 2008 R2 DVD inside the Windows Server 2003 DVD Drive

· Open Command Prompt, this is done by Clicking on Start > Run > type CMD > click OK
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Type D:toolsadprepadprep32.exe /forestprep (Where D: is the drive of your Windows 2008 DVD)

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Type D:toolsadprepadprep32.exe /domainprep (Where D: is the drive of your Windows 2008 DVD)

Type D:toolsadprepadprep32.exe /domainprep  /gpprep (Where D: is the drive of your Windows 2008 DVD)

3. Install windows server 2008 R2

Install windows server R2 in a new server hardware and Run DCPROMO, as a secondary domain in the current active directory itself.

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While running DCpromo, if there error saying to rerun the domainprep in source server. please do as its not properly updated in the schema.