tranferring windows NT to a new machine.

[deseqer]

We have a client that has a old DELL computer that is running Windows NT 4.0 with service Pack 6 installed. They Have Backoffice Small Business Server 4.5 installed. and this server is running

Primary Domain Controller
Exchange 5.5 SP3
Peachtree Complete Accounting 2002
internet sharing (I Think it is part of the Backoffice)
and File storage.

They are looking at getting a new system now and now I must figure out what would be the best route for them transferring all the information that is on the current system to a new system. they would like to stay with the current version of windows that they have now, but if they have to they will upgrade to a newer version of windows.

It has been recommended to use norton ghost to do the data tranfer. This sounds like a good idea but I am unsure how much reconfiguring I will have to do.

Any Ideas or Site links will be very helpful. Thanks

[imaeditedbysowulo]

After you ghost it, but before you try to boot it up, you'll have to change the Raid Array Controller driver or it will crash. Other than that, I think it's safe to do.

[jeffbrown]

Ghost can work, but you cannot guarantee dependability especially with nt 4 and the mobo chipset drivers.

I would reinstall everything clean to the new machine, and then migrate data.

Peachtree should have data folders, install and then overwrite data with the old data folders.

Exchange 5.5 - make it the same site and organization, then migrate the data over in Exchange admin.

user files. simple.

resetup internet sharing.

If this is a PDC then join the new as a bdc and sync them, then take the old offline.

a CLEAN install of all could be beneficial,. though it will take much longer, the solution could be cheaper than the ghost headache you could get.

Good luck, keep us posted on whatq happens.

Jeff Brown,
A+,Net+, MCSE NT4

[emr]

Just a quick note jeffbrown. With SBS you are obliged to run as a PDC, therefore he couldn't join the domain as a bdc, synchronise, then promote.

Also you can only ever run one SBS on a network as its architecture obliges that it is always the PDC.

This is my understanding, corrections welcome if I have it wrong.


Deseqer, I would seriously consider a clean re-install following jeffbrown's recommendations. I have found SBS to be a temperamental beast if ghosted. Why not go for SBS 2000 if they are willing to consider an upgrade?

Old advice and I'm sure you know, but backup all data! Me personally , on mission critical systems, I would have at least two backups on different media that are confirmed as good. Also, make sure that the old SBS is still available for use in the event that you have problems with the ghost/reinstall. That way at 9 on a Sunday night, when you are going mad because SBS won't install on the new machine, you can kick the old one back on line for Monday morning to run until you get things sorted out.

I speak from bitter experience!

Best of luck,

emr

[Matridom]

Clean install would be best. then migrate your data. Recreating your user accounts will be time consuming as is setting up various other apps.

If you can set the new computer as the BDC and promote it, it would transfer your user accounts. (you SHOULD be able to do it)

Internet Connection Sharing on SBS is done via Proxy server So unless you want to reconfigure all your workstations, your going to need to use the same server name as the current PDC (preventing you from creating a BDC then promoting it)

If you upgrade to SBS 2000 then again, your going to have to go to each workstation and install the firewall client (proxy server is replaced with ISA server)

[silencio]

Originally posted by emr
Just a quick note jeffbrown. With SBS you are obliged to run as a PDC, therefore he couldn't join the domain as a bdc, synchronise, then promote.

Also you can only ever run one SBS on a network as its architecture obliges that it is always the PDC.

This is my understanding, corrections welcome if I have it wrong.


Deseqer, I would seriously consider a clean re-install following jeffbrown's recommendations. I have found SBS to be a temperamental beast if ghosted. Why not go for SBS 2000 if they are willing to consider an upgrade?

Old advice and I'm sure you know, but backup all data! Me personally , on mission critical systems, I would have at least two backups on different media that are confirmed as good. Also, make sure that the old SBS is still available for use in the event that you have problems with the ghost/reinstall. That way at 9 on a Sunday night, when you are going mad because SBS won't install on the new machine, you can kick the old one back on line for Monday morning to run until you get things sorted out.

I speak from bitter experience!

Best of luck,

emr

Ditto on everything you said. Especially the Sunday night thing.

[emr]

Q200866

From this MSKB article.

You can install a computer as a BDC in an SBS domain, but there is minimal advantage in doing so. Because the SBS server must function as a PDC, the BDC only provides redundancy for authentication, not fault tolerance as in a traditional Windows NT domain where a PDC does not act as an applications server.

Took a bit of searching, but I found the confirmation.

emr

[jeffbrown]

ok.. lol

Learn or refresh knowledge everyday...

Thanks for the correction

[confus-ed]

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - Q228980

This article describes how you can move Small Business Server 4.0 from one Intel-based (x86) computer to another Intel-based (x86) computer, and then upgrade to Small Business Server 4.5

Mine's just a half