Backup 2003 AD and restore onto 2008 R2

active-directorydomain-name-systemwindows-server-2003windows-server-2008

Currently I have a 2003 box running AD as the root OS on the system. I'd like to do this:

  1. Backup the AD and DNS configuration on the 2003 box.
  2. Wipe the drive(s) and install Hyper-V 2008 R2 as the root OS.
  3. Create a new VM with 2008 R2.
  4. Restore backup from step 1 onto new VM.

I can't find instructions for doing the back/restore portion. I'm hoping someone can offer some guidance.

Best Answer

You can't do what you're trying to do with Active Directory in that manner. What you can do (in very broad terms) is:

  • Setup your new Windows Server 2008 R2 VM on another machine, configuring it to use your existing Windows Server 2003 instance as its DNS server

  • Join the Windows Server 2008 R2 instance to your existing Active Directory domain and promote it to being a Domain Controller

  • Transfer the FSMO roles from the existing W2K3 DC to the new W2K8R2 DC

  • Demote the W2K3 DC from being a DC to a member server and disjoin it from the domain

  • Wipe the physical computer that was running W2K3, install W2K8R2 Hyper-V

  • Migrate the W2K8R2 DC VM over to the W2K8R2 Hyper-V computer

There's no other way to do what you're looking for in a "supported" manner (or, for that matter, in any manner I can think of that would preserve the existing AD environment).

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