windows 2003 domain name change

[Deemon]

Hi!

I haveto change windows 2003 domain name.

Do I haveto put workstations in to worgroup and then rejoin them in to new domain.. or can i just switch the domain name from server and workstations will see new domain?

I would hate to pot them in to workgroup and then in to new domain.. coz there are lots of machines in that domain :D

so.. any ideas?

[lieb39]

How do you originally have the workstations setup? I don't think there is an easy way to switch them to a new domain without individual setting changes.

If you just ghost the PCs then change the original image and redeploy it.

-lieb39

[RevitXman]

if you have to put them in a new domain, you might want to put them in workgroup then put them in the new domain...

[stabet]

The workstations won't automatically see the new domain, but I don't think you have to go to a workgroup first. I'm pretty sure that a local administrator account can pull a machine out of a domain. You could try logging in as a local administrator and changing the domain membership to the new domain. If that works, you won't need to go to a workgroup first.

[simonallison]

Looking something up shows I am a bit messed up....lol

Windows 2003 Rename Tools

You can use NT to Windows 2003 Migration Tools to change Workstations but I am not sure if you can use it on domain name changes.....

Once you have setup your global catalog server and have the correct name, then you need to run ADMT. You can do this from the server. You dont need to go round every machine but you would have to notify user etc....

Hope this helps....

Edited October 30, 2005 by sy89

[CyBeRiA]

Assuming you have a DNS server, the SOA (System of Authority?) record ought to be the Domain Controller. So if your workstations are pointing to the correct DNS box, changing the domain ought to be as simple as updating the DNS record with the IP address of the new controller and restarting the workstations. You would still have to add machines to the new domain, but the DNS should take care of pointing the workstations to the new domain.

[StevenNT]

you can try NETDOM that is part of the Windows Server 2003 support tools and then run netdom join to join all the workstations.

not sure if there is a more elegent way.

[Deemon]

yea.. i found that one allso from ms web.. I have a becation at the moment.. so i'll just take the time off to read through whole this material.

[Kosh]

ok. first i wanna make something clear:

every somain has 2 domainnames.

for example: your domain is hooray.local

so your NETBIOS Domain name is: HOORAY

and your DNS Domain name is: hooray.local

first: renaming the dns name from hooray.local to anything.else is no problem

this can be done without any 3rd tools, and without having the clients removing and joining again in the domain.

second: the NETBIOS domain name will EVER BE HOORAY and per default it cannot be changed.

it is possible with 3rd tool to change it (although I only heard that it is possible)

this is not recommended.

believe me, you can suck up your whole domain with this.

btw: why do you want to rename your domain?

maybe only renaming the dns-domain name does it for you?

this is done in minutes, and should come with no problems.

[Deemon]

well i'm not the one who wants to change it.. my client is.. and it is need to be changed coz it has bad name.. it is my client competitors name :D thats why.

anyhigh i know i can **** it all up.. and thats why i dont want to do it.. but i still haveto do it.

[Kosh]

:woot:

ok then you have the painful procedure:

Backup-> Try it -> Cross Fingers :D

[John Veteran]

  Deemon said:

well i'm not the one who wants to change it.. my client is.. and it is need to be changed coz it has bad name.. it is my client competitors name :D thats why.

anyhigh i know i can **** it all up.. and thats why i dont want to do it.. but i still haveto do it.

586816976[/snapback]

Shouldn't you be creating a new domain for your client instead of "copying" their competitor's and throwing it on their network? :huh:

[Kosh]

hehe... :p

good point.