Transferring the files from an old box to a new box.

[Valden]

Hello there, I am going to be transferring my company primary domain controller from a P3 1.26 Ghz server to a dual P4 3.2 server... Obviously the architecture is significantly different, but is there a program out there that will allow us to transfer? I figured something like symantec ghost or drive image might work, but thought I would get some input. Thanks!

[Valden]

The tricky thing is that we use RAID-1 for our system partition and then our storage partitions are on a 3 disk RAID-5 array.. Will this transferring still work? What utility do you use, the network method may be the best.

[Amy Newman]

The RAID partition is definitely the fly in the ointment. According to Symantec:

"Ghost is not compatible with computers that use RAID. That is, Symantec Ghost 8.x and earlier, and Norton Ghost 2003 and earlier, do not support RAID controllers on computers that are being imaged."

Full explanation, here (http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/docid/1999010613522725?Open&src=sg&docid=2002092510522725&nsf=ghost.nsf&view=8f7dc138830563c888256c2200662ecd/dfb4b017218165c088256c3f00622fae?opendocument&prod=norton%20ghost&ver=2003%20for%20windows%202000/nt/me/98&dtype=&prod=Norton%20Ghost&ver=2003%20for%20Windows%202000/NT/Me/98/XP&osv=&osv_lvl).

[Valden]

Ahh thanks for the input. Know of any solutions of how I could do this? I was thinking since the system we are migrating is our Primary domain controller, that we could perhaps install server on the new system and add it to the domain as a backup controller, and then promote it to PDC... If I do this, will it boot the old PDC off the domain? Think this will work?

[Amy Newman]

What OS are you using?

[Valden]

We are currently using windows 2000 server standard. We will be moving to windows 2003 server.

[Amy Newman]

That sounds like it should work. This article (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555040) has some best practice tips for performing the update.