Installing SBS 2008 over SBS 2003: start over clean

[nomade0]

Hi everyone,


I have SBS 2003 running on a server with 3 users, which I want to replace with SBS 2008. We don't use Exchange anymore, we just moved to Google Apps. We have a pretty basic use of the server: runing some software and store/share files.

We want to switch to SBS 2008. I'm thinking our system is so simple that I might rather install SBS 2008 from scratch, clean, over the SBS 2003 installation. I can't afford another computer for testing purposes, I have to install on the current server, live.

Installing clean would spare me the apparent nightmare of migration........ (form what I read). However, we have 3 users, and I'd like them to still be able to access their account - at least, I'd like their new account to look like their old: same domain login, same wallpaper, same files/shortcuts on the desktop, same files in their docs & settings, same access to the shared file that are on a separate partition anyway.

Is there an EASY way to do that? (i.e., without migrating). Since I only have 3 users, I don't mind manually copying files too much.

I'd appreciate any input on this matter... I'm not an expert, but I rather have a "power user" profile - assembled PCs, installed multiple OS' in the past. But never a server.

Thanks to you all!

PS: I'm installing form 2003 32bit to 2008 64bits.

[EINSTEIN_007]

There is a guide made already that tells you how to migrate an existing Windows SBS 2003 domain to Windows SBS 2008 and then to migrate the settings and data. This guide also tells you how to remove your existing server from the Windows SBS 2008 network after you finish the migration. Just visit this link here.

[nomade0]

Thanks for taking the time to answer me.

This is what I don't understand. All these explanations seem to assume that I will STILL HAVE my 2003 in place after I have installed 2008. I don't understand.

I have only 1 computer, and the 2008 installation will ERASE 2003. There will be no going back, no 'fetching' some data. The whole partition will have been formatted. Unless I'm missing something.

Sorry, I have been through these steps, and I don't understand the context in which they are relevant. That is not explained.