Domain rename tools

[Vide]

Hi

I need to rename my W2K3 server FQDN because my team mate has chosen a wrong
name that doesn't fit well with the rest of the infrastructure. Although we
are not already in production it would be a pity to start again from
scratch cause everything is nearly complete.
So I've seen these tools:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/dow...ainrename.mspx

but they don't even install on my system cause I'm running an x64
installation. Is there a 64-bits edition or another tool? I'm running a
Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Standard Edition.

[Herb Martin]

"Vide" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:eD9fO%[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> I need to rename my W2K3 server FQDN because my team mate has chosen a
> wrong
> name that doesn't fit well with the rest of the infrastructure. Although
> we
> are not already in production it would be a pity to start again from
> scratch cause everything is nearly complete.

There is a difference between renaming a DC (i.e., W2K3 server that is a DC)
is quite different from renaming the DOMAIN (much harder, more tedious.)

Worst case (even in Win2000 which doesn't technically support DC rename)
you can rename a DC by DCPromo to non-DC (you need another DC at
least during this time), rename "regulary Server", and then redoing the
DCPromo
back to DC.

In Win2003 Server Native Mode domains you can actually just rename the DC
directly too.

> So I've seen these tools:
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/dow...ainrename.mspx
>
> but they don't even install on my system cause I'm running an x64
> installation. Is there a 64-bits edition or another tool? I'm running a
> Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Standard Edition.


--
Herb Martin, MCSE, MVP
http://www.LearnQuick.Com
(phone on web site)

[Vide]

Herb Martin wrote:

> There is a difference between renaming a DC (i.e., W2K3 server that is a
> DC) is quite different from renaming the DOMAIN (much harder, more
> tedious.)

mmmmh, in my case the DC machine name is "domain". The DNS domain
is "location.my_enterprise.com" and the netbios domain name (the one that
appears in the client's logon dropdown) is "location".
So for example the FQDN of the DC is

domain.location.my_enterprise.com

and a client machine:
client1.location.my_enterprise.com

I would like to get rid of that "location" in the FQDNs, changing the
netbios domain as well to "my_enterprise". Is this possible?

I'm sorry but I'm really a newbie with AD.

[Herb Martin]

"Vide" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%[email protected]...
> Herb Martin wrote:
>
>> There is a difference between renaming a DC (i.e., W2K3 server that is a
>> DC) is quite different from renaming the DOMAIN (much harder, more
>> tedious.)
>
> mmmmh, in my case the DC machine name is "domain". The DNS domain
> is "location.my_enterprise.com" and the netbios domain name (the one that
> appears in the client's logon dropdown) is "location".
> So for example the FQDN of the DC is
>
> domain.location.my_enterprise.com

> and a client machine:
> client1.location.my_enterprise.com
>
> I would like to get rid of that "location" in the FQDNs, changing the
> netbios domain as well to "my_enterprise". Is this possible?

Yes, and that is DOMAIN rename, not DC-server rename which is
harder.

> I'm sorry but I'm really a newbie with AD.

Not a problem -- we were all new once -- but expect to have terminology
corrected both to clarify your issues and to help you understand both what
is given here and the docs you will be reading.

You do need the Domain Rename tools. You domain will need to be in
Win2003 Server native mode, and your FOREST will need to be in
"Win2003 Forest Functional Level" (which implies that all domains are in
the Win2003 Server native mode anyway.)

I don't know about a special version for your x64 machines but at least
you know you are looking for the domain rename instructions and tools.

If you haven't already Google this:

[ "domain rename" 2003 site:microsoft.com utility | tool ]

--
Herb Martin, MCSE, MVP
http://www.LearnQuick.Com
(phone on web site)

[Vide]

Herb Martin wrote:

> Not a problem -- we were all new once -- but expect to have terminology
> corrected both to clarify your issues and to help you understand both what
> is given here and the docs you will be reading.

Yeah, sure. It was just to be sure I understood correctly what you said.

> You do need the Domain Rename tools. You domain will need to be in
> Win2003 Server native mode, and your FOREST will need to be in
> "Win2003 Forest Functional Level" (which implies that all domains are in
> the Win2003 Server native mode anyway.)
>
> I don't know about a special version for your x64 machines but at least
> you know you are looking for the domain rename instructions and tools.
>
> If you haven't already Google this:
>
> [ "domain rename" 2003 site:microsoft.com utility | tool ]

The first result of this search is...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/dow...ainrename.mspx
which as said in my first post, doesn't work at all with x64 versions :(
Or at least with my Standard Edition version...the exact error when
launching domainrename.exe is:

This version 1.4 is for a different hardware platform.

I'm pretty lost...I googled for more x64 specific documents but I cannot
find anything relevant.

[Vide]

Vide wrote:

> which as said in my first post, doesn't work at all with x64 versions :(
> Or at least with my Standard Edition version...the exact error when
> launching domainrename.exe is:

Ok, since it works remotely, I installed it on a WXP workstation and all
went fine, let's see now if we can get it working :)