Active Directory Installation Failed on 3rd Domain Controller

Hello,

I have a domain controller, on a Win2003 server, that is bad situation and I
have been instructed to NOT do any more restarts on that server.

I have a SECOND domain controller, on a Win2003 server, that is OK.

I have a new THIRD Win2003 server that is NOW a part of that same domain. I
have tried to add the ROLE of Domain Controller (Active Directory) to this
NEW SERVER, and after about 5 minutes of trying.. I got the following message:

(The operation failed because:

The Active Directory Installation Wizard cannot continue because the forest
is not prepared for installing Windows Server 2003. Use the Adprep
command-line tool to prepare both the forest and the domain. For more
information about using the Adprep, see Active Directory Help.

"The version of the Active Directory schema of the source forest is not
compatible with the version of Active Directory on this computer")

Does anybody have any ideas... If SERVER ONE can NOT be restarted (since Dec
20th?) so, it may have some outdated areas - is this why the system says IT
IS NOT COMPATIBLE. If that is the case, could I force the THIRD SERVER to
look to the SECOND SERVER for the proper information?

any help would greatly be appreciated...

thanks...

Hi,

If the dead DC was the schema master, you will have to seize the roles
to a working domain controller.
You will have to extend the schema by running Adprep.
The old machine does not have to be started again. Just make sure you
perform a metadata cleanup to remove this DC from Active Directory.
Make sure all other roles are moved over that the old DC had i.e DNS,
DHCP, WINS.....

The FIRST SERVER is RAID 5 with 4 disks... we had a weird problem.. and the
system thought it lost 2 drives... with help from Dell and others... the
system was brought back online... but, the system seems to think that it only
needs 3 disks.. it will not add the 4th.. so, it continues to run in degraded
mode.. regardless of what is done to it... and on a previous restart.... we
lost the system.. until new 'parts' were put in .. and then we got back to
degraded mode.. so, it is a bit shaky....

Additional Followup:

I am bringing this 3rd system online.. with the POTENTIAL of it having to
REPLACE the 1st system.....

so, I was actually going to take the 1st system offline, for a day - after
the 3rd system has 'duplcated' the first system.... if I have no problems
that day.... then I will feel comfortable running (WHAT IS A RISKY FIX - FAST
UTILITY) on the 1st server... to try and reset the RAID.. to running
properly...

does this all make sense.. and does it make sense to test a 3rd server in
this way?

ONE .... 'hopefully' last question.... I did not think about your ADPREP
response.. in enough detail...

so.. one other question:

You said I am running ADPREP (/forest & /domain) on DC2, so I can install R2
on DC2. .... Q: Does that mean that this is something BEYOND any AUTOMATIC
UPGRADES? Do I have to purchase R2, install it on this DC... (after running
ADPREP) ... and then I can FINALLY make DC3 a part of this domain?

Thanks SO MUCH for all of your help...

[smartty]

i found it is easer to demote the secondary dc to the third dc then force file replication and wait a day or so. then restore second dc once the third has an error free relationship with the pdc. then take control with the second dc and bring the third up behind it.