Active Directory Cookbook

2.14. Raising the Functional Level of a Windows Server 2003 Forest

Problem

You want to raise the functional level of a Windows Server 2003 forest. You should raise the functional level of a forest as soon as possible after installing a new Windows Server 2003 forest or upgrading from a Windows 2000 forest to take advantage of the new features and enhancements.

Solution

Using a graphical user interface

1. Open the Active Directory Domains and Trusts snap-in.

2. In the left pane, right-click on Active Directory Domains and Trusts and select Raise Forest Functional Level.

3. Select Windows Server 2003 Functional Level and click OK.

After a few seconds you should see a message stating whether the operation was successful.

Using a command-line interface

To retrieve the current forest functional level, use the following command:

> dsquery * <ForestRootDN> -scope base -attr msDS-Behavior-Version

Or you can use the enumprop command found in the Windows 2000 Resource Kit.

> enumprop /ATTR:msDS-Behavior-Version "LDAP://<ForestRootDN>"

To change the functional level to Windows Server 2003, create an LDIF file called raise_forest_func_level.ldf with the following contents:

dn: cn=partitions,cn=configuration,<ForestRootDN>
changetype: modify
replace: msDS-Behavior-Version
msDS-Behavior-Version: 2
-

Next, run the ldifde command to import the change.

> ldifde -i -f raise_forest_func_level.ldf

Using VBScript

' This code changes the functional level of the the forest the ' user running the script is logged into to Windows ...