I need to replace a failing pdc on a small network, so I loaded NT 4.0 sp6 on a new machine, and picked stand alone server and joined domain. When I run dcpromo, I get file cannot be found.

When I do a search for dcpromo it finds nothing. Whan I do a search for dcpromo on the pdc it also finds nothing. Why is there no dcpromo.exe file?

This confused me so I went to work where we have an NT 4.0 pdc with a w2k standalone sever. That pdc also doesn't have the dcpromo file, but the w2k sever does at C:\winnt\system32.

I am confused. Can't you promote a server to bdc or pdc regardless of how it was installed initially? W2k has the file. Why wouldn't the 2 pdc's I was referring to have it?

In NT, in order to replace the PDC you would normally do the following,

1. Install a new server as a Backup Domain Controller.

2. Synchronise the Backup Domain controller with the existing Primary Domain Controller to ensure that the SAM and all other replications are ok.

3. Take the Primary Domain Controller offline.

4. Promote the Backup Domain Controller to be the Primary Domain controller (all of these controls are found in server manager0

If memory serves me correctly (somebody correct me if I'm wrong please) dcpromo is not part of the default install of NT. I think it might (and I am hesitant when I say might) be part of the NT Server Resource Kit.

Hope it helps.

There is some software out there to upgrade a standalone server to a BDC but the name escapes me. I believe it has been mentioned elsewhere (possibly UPromote??)

Have fun ???

DCpromo is on the 2000 Server CD. Be sure to have TCP/IP installed/configured and your DNS zones set up before running DCpromo. Judging from your post it sounds like this should be tried in a lab before moving to a production environment to work out any procedural bugs.

Also check that if you do use the dcpromo from the 2000 server that it is compatible with NT. I know that some 2000 cd / resource kit bits aren't. This is also true if use some of the NT bits and pieces on 2000

Good luck

Your trying to apply Windows 2000 technology to NT, plus the fact that you didn't know about the PDC/BDC relationship in NT, shows a area to be concerned about. You just can't cowboy mixed server environments unless you like really deep cow-pies.

A NT book would have told you about the PDC/BDC install relationship and preservation of the SAM which a standalone does not do.

A W2K book would have told you about DCpromo which is for Active Directory. This is strickly a Windows 2000 technology. A nt member server/workstation can be in AD as a client. Otherwise the proper procedure is upgrade the PDC to W2k and run dcpromo. Then upgrade the Bdcs and have them join the tree. You could also have the member W2K server join the tree at the same time but you have to start with one server and one tree. You better have your DNS and tree structure all planned before you do such a move.

Mick is correct in the NT install procedure of a BDC and the use of Upromote to take a standalone and make it a bdc/pdc or whatever direction you want to go.