Active Directory Cookbook

2.10. Using ADPrep to Prepare a Domain or Forest for Windows Server 2003

Problem

You want to upgrade your existing Windows 2000 Active Directory domain controllers to Windows Server 2003. Before doing this, you must run the ADPrep tool, which extends the schema and adds several objects in Active Directory that are necessary for new features and enhancements.

Solution

First, run the following command on the Schema FSMO with the credentials of an account that is in both the Enterprise Admins and Schema Admins groups:

> adprep /forestprep

After the updates from /forestprep have replicated throughout the forest (see Recipe 2.11), run the following command on the Infrastructure FSMO in each domain with the credentials of an account in the Domain Admins group:

> adprep /domainprep

If the updates from /forestprep have not replicated to at least the Infrastructure FSMO servers in each domain, an error will be returned when running /domainprep. To debug any problems you encounter, see the ADPrep log files located at %SystemRoot%\System32\Debug\Adprep\Logs.

Tip

adprep can be found in the \i386 directory on the Windows Server 2003 CD. The tool relies on several files in that directory, so you cannot simply copy that file out to a server and run it. You must either run it from a CD or from a location where the entire directory has been copied.

Discussion

The adprep command prepares a Windows 2000 forest and domains for Windows Server 2003. Both /forestprep and /domainprep must be run before you ...