We are going to install a windows 2000 server for file serving. Currently have a NT PDC, which is doing the file serving. The NT server would remain as the PDC. When we install the 2000 server, what do we need to do, so all users on the 2000 server are the same as those on our PDC. We don't want to set up separate user accounts on this new server.

you can make the win2k server a member of the domain, and then all users will be able to use it, assuming you are using domain accounts

Seems like the easiest thing to do would be to just upgrade the PDC to Win2K and then make it the DC (Domain Controller). Perhaps even going so far as to install Win2K again on the second server to use for redundancy/etc? Seems a waste to make Win2K work under NT, a far less robust OS...in MHO.

I agree with Dan. There is no need to upgrade an entire domain structure if you don't need to. It seems to me that you are just offloading the file serving to a box that is not the PDC. That will work just fine. You should join the new win2k box to the domain and create your permission structure using users and groups from your current NT4 domain (of course adding any necessary local groups to your new 2000 server for permissions to the files).The new 2000 server is going to be very much like using a NT4 member server. No need to re-invent the wheel here unless you want the functionality of 2000 AD. An upgrade or migration requires a lot more planning than just upgrading the OS on a PDC.

As usual, I'm confused. You have an NT domain and a Windows 2000 server. You then have NT domain accounts. I'm fine there. When you say "what do we need to do, so all users on the 2000 server are the same as those on our PDC." My question is, what users on the 2000 server? Did you create a bunch of local accounts on the 2000 server? Your question implies you did. If so, then you will have to create those on the NT domain in order to use them. If you are talking about the current domain users being able to access files on the new server, then Dan's suggestion will work. I don't see a need to make the NT PDC a w2k server unless you want to migrate to Active Directory. I would rather use w2k than NT, I agree but it won't really change things much for your question. So, did you create local accounts on the w2k server as your question implies?

Glen, No, we are just planning right now. I just wanted to find out if this would be possible -- having an NT domain, and a Win 2000 as a member server -- without major hassles in getting our domain users to authenticate. Any special setup switches to make sure we hit -- other than making it a member of the domain? Thanks for your comments.