DC Win2k3 SP2 upgrade from STD to ENT

I have a couple of domain controllers running Windows Server 2003 Standard
with SP2 and I'd like to know if it's possible to upgrade them to the
Enterprise edition?

Basically, I need to do this as IAS on the standard version only supports up
to 50 devices and I need to add more devices. Apparently the enterprise
version of IAS supports more devices.

Thanks!

 

Yes

See:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/whyupgrade/supportedpaths.mspx

hth
DDS

 

Hello Edward,

Just insert the enterprise disk and with autostarting it should prompt you
with the supported options.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber

 

Well, it doesn't quite work that way.

As soon as I try to install it says that the OS on the hard disk is newer
than the one on the CD and it wants me to remove the old installation.

Maybe I need an 'upgrade' cd or media? I have the MSDN CDs we receive from
Microsoft.

 

Well, it doesn't quite work that way.

Actually it does work that way. What I suspect is that you forgot to tell us
that the existing install is Win 2k3 SP2 and the Enterprise version you are
trying to upgrade to is Win 2k3 SP2 "R2".

R2 is a 2 disk set. You will need to run adprep from the second CD of the R2
set on the Schema master for your domain, then upgrade using the Win 2k3
Enterprise R2 version.

R2 is just a set of upgraded features that require a schema modification to
prepare the domain for the new R2 features.
If you were going to use the updated features you would run adprep from the
second CD to prepare the domain, then install the R2 feature(s) only on the
servers you need to use the new features on. It does not sound like you are
wanting to use the new R2 features so just run adprep on the schema master
and then upgrade the DC.

hth
DDS

 

Danny, thanks for the reply.

Well, here's what's happening. My current production DC is a Windows 2003
Standard Server; which I'd like to upgrade to a Windows 2003 Enterprise
Server (mainly for the IAS feature); the Enterprise CD I'm using is not the
R2 version though. (I do own an R2 version, but we're not going to use that
version yet)

For obvious reasons, I need to do an upgrade - not a new installation.

When the CD autoruns, I'm unable to upgrade the OS. I get the message
stating that the OS on the computer is newer than the one on the CD. It also
states that only a 'new' installation will be allowed. It also states that in
case I want to keep the 'older' installation; I should install this version
on a different windows directory. As, a matter of fact, the window that comes
up has the 'continue' button grayed out, so I'm unable to upgrade from the
GUI. Only 'Cancel' and 'Detail' buttons are enabled.

I went ahead and tried booting the machine using the Win2k3 ENT bootable CD
and I got the following: You chose to install Windows on a partition that
contains another operating system. Installing Windows on this partition might
cause the other operating system to function improperly....

I've gone as far as creating a 'test' new domain (running Windows 2003
Standard SP2 and fully patched) on a virtual machine on my lab. I get the
same results as well.

Seems to me that either I'm missing something or the upgrade path broke
after SP2.

Thanks again!

 

Hello Edward,

Uninstall SP2 upgrade and install SP2 again.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber

 

By that you mean...

1. Uninstall SP2 from the DC
2. Attempt the Upgrade process using the Enterprise CD
3. Re-install SP2 after win2K3 STD has been upgraded to win2K3 ENT?

Hm, I will try this on my virtual machine test domain, but even if that
works I will be weary of doing this on a production environment. My test
virtual machine by no means resembles my production environment.

If I have to go through all this, I might as well just introduce an entirely
new DC on my production environment with win2k3 ENT loaded, instead of doing
an upgrade.

I'm going to try it on my virtual machine/test domain just for kicks, but I
seriously doubt I'll be doing this on my production environment. I think this
upgrade path is broken after SP2 and Microsoft should either update their
documentation or find a 'good' fix for this.

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions though.


Edward

 

Hello Edward,

Yes, that's what i mean, i read some other posting, do not remember where,
that this helps. And testing it is always a good solution before going to
production environments.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber