windows server 2003 SP2 x86 upgrade to 2019

Question

hi

I have 2 windows servers 2003 sp2 on virtual machines one of them is main the other is a replication both of them are life and now I need to upgrade to windows server 2019 for both of them, I just want to confirm a few points. as I know I have to upgrade first from 2003 to 2016 then from 2016 to 2019

• the existing windows server is x86 can i use x64 on windows server 2016 and 2019 or I should use x86 for both
• should I stop the replication before proceeding with the upgrade notes that both of them are Global catalog.
• the existing 2003 is AD and file server and wins server theses can be migrated to 2016 and 2019 or not?

Answer 1

Hi @TTadmin ,

Unfortunately all Windows Server versions that came out after Windows Server 2008 R2 are only available in 64-Bit, which means that you cannot upgrade your existing Windows Server 2003 SP2 32-Bit operating systems to Windows Server 2016/2019.

The recommended approach is to install new servers and migrate everything from the old servers to the new servers.

There are many articles that describe how to migrate Active Directory (AD) from Windows Server 2003 to newer operating systems, here's a few:

• Step by step Migrate Active Directory Windows Server 2003 to Active Directory Windows Server 2016.
• Migration From Windows 2003 AD To 2016

Here's also an old TechNet forum thread about a similar query:
Server 2003 to 2019, alternative way to migrate users and shares?

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Best regards,
Leon