migrating SBS 2003 DC to server 2016 network

Question

need to migrate active directory from small business server 2003 domain controller to 2016 domain . need 2016 installation media into 2003 SBS server and run adprep32.exe from the 2016 cd. Adprep32 is missing from 2016 media.

Answer 1

To migrate Active Directory from a Small Business Server 2003 (SBS 2003) domain controller to a Windows Server 2016 domain, you will need to follow a specific process. One important step is to run the ADPrep tool, which prepares the Active Directory environment for the new version of Windows Server.

However, it's important to note that there is no 32-bit version of Adprep (Adprep32.exe) available for Windows Server 2016. Instead, you will need to run the Adprep tool from a computer that runs Windows Server 2008 x64 or later. The Adprep executable is included in the installation media for Windows Server 2016, but it is refactored into adprep.dll, which can be used by both ADPrep.exe and the ADDSDeployment Windows PowerShell module.

Here are the general steps you should follow:

1. Prepare your environment: Ensure that your SBS 2003 server meets the necessary requirements for migration and that you have a backup of your Active Directory data.
2. Run ADPrep: Use a Windows Server 2008 or later machine to run the necessary Adprep commands. You will need to run adprep /forestprep and adprep /domainprep to prepare the forest and domain for the new Windows Server 2016 installation.
3. Install Windows Server 2016: After preparing the environment, you can proceed to install Windows Server 2016 and promote it to a domain controller in the existing domain.
4. Migrate roles and data: Once the new domain controller is set up, migrate any necessary roles and data from the SBS 2003 server to the new server.

Make sure to review the prerequisites and ensure that your environment is ready for the migration process.

Answer 2

Hi r c,

I would say, In Windows Server 2016, the tool adprep32.exe is no longer included. The 32-bit version was provided in older releases to support legacy 32-bit domain controllers, but since Windows Server 2016 only supports 64-bit architecture, the correct tool to use is adprep.exe (64-bit). You’ll find it in the \support\adprep folder on the Server 2016 installation media.

To proceed, you should run adprep /forestprep and adprep /domainprep from the 2016 media on the SBS 2003 domain controller. This prepares the Active Directory schema and domain for the introduction of a 2016 domain controller. Once that’s complete, you can promote the new Server 2016 machine to a domain controller and gradually transfer FSMO roles.

Keep in mind that SBS 2003 is long out of support, so you may encounter compatibility challenges. It’s best practice to ensure you have full backups before running adprep, and to test the migration in a lab environment if possible.

I hope this clears up the confusion about the missing adprep32.exe and helps you move forward with your migration plan. If you find this answer helpful, please consider hitting “Accept Answer” so others can benefit from it as well.

Jason.

Answer 3

Hi r c,

Just checking in to see whether the issue has been resolved. Let me know if you need any further assistance from my side.

If you found the answer helpful, selecting Accept Answer would be greatly appreciated 😊