Workstation Changes When Required Migrating from SBS

[pctechsupport]

Hi there

I may have to migrate a client from SBS 2008 to Windows 2012 R2 Standard and I was wondering what work would be required from a workstation perspective (if I transfer everything (FSMO,DNS,DHCP etc) and keep the domain name the same - but the new server will have a different name from the SBS)?

E.g. will all existing pcs have to be readded to the domain or new profiles created for users on each machine if the server name changes? I was thinking if the domain name is the same these changes shouldn't be needed but not 100% sure?

Thanks in advance
PCTS

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

If you're doing a "migration"....you won't really see any changes. Since the active directory will still be the same active directory. Computer accounts, user accounts..they all migrate over.

So the user will still log in the same...same username ...same password (unless you kicked in complex passwords with Server2012 requests), same desktop/profile.

Only changes "under the hood"...you'll have different mapped drives now (change login scripts)....you'll have different folder redirection paths if you had them before (since it's a different server),

There are migration documents (quite long)...you'll find, where you'll perform all the "under the hood" migration steps, including changing group policies 'n OU's and lots of stuff. Pretty lengthy migration...fun project..been belting out tons of these.

Side note...you'll probably run into a stupid bug of Microsofts....if you want to set them up fully on Essentials 12. For desktop users to get the full Essentials 12 experience....and be shown in the list of available computers to connect to if they use the RWW portal...you have to run the http://servername/connect wizard.

However...Microsoft server team guys forgot on HUGE thing when they coded that Connect wizard...that perhaps some businesses might do a "migration". The connect wizard will halt...when it's run on a workstation already connected to the domain. Yeah...pure genius!

In their great (lack of ) wisdom...they forgot to make that Connect wizard adjust to run on workstations already joined to the domain.

So you have two choices.
Unjoin the domain, and then run Connect wizard to join again (which usually keeps profiles intact..but once in a while I've seen a funny thing or two)...

or...
run this command on the workstation..elevated command prompt. (without the quotes)
"reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Server\ClientDeployment" /v SkipDomainJoin /t REG_DWORD /d 1"

And then run through the Connect wizard...just accepting defaults...it will give some message about account already exists...do you want to keep or change name...just keep...go through it..and you're all set.

 

[nlinecomputers]

So you have two choices.
Unjoin, and then run Connect wizard to join again (which usually keeps profiles intact..but once in a while I've seen a funny thing or two)...
or...run this command on the workstation..elevated command prompt. (without the quotes)
"reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Server\ClientDeployment" /v SkipDomainJoin /t REG_DWORD /d 1"

So which one works best? I'm betting on the second one.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

So which one works best? I'm betting on the second one.

Certainly quicker and easier IMO! And less chance of a workstation forcing a new user account profile when you rejoin. Usually doesn't happen..but...once in a blue moon....

 

[pctechsupport]

@YeOldStoneCat

Thanks very much for your information and heads up on the joining the domain issue.
I'm happy to hear that we won't have to do much with user profiles apart from changing the GPO for the file shares and remotely accessing those laptops in remote offices to manually update the network drives as they don't receive GPO updates.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Here's one of the guides....there are a few out there. Fill your printers paper tray!
Migrate Windows Small Business Server 2008 to Windows Server 2012 Essentials

You can certainly do a plain jane migration and file/print shares will work, logins, etc. But if you want all the features, wizards, dashboards, etc to work...gotta follow the whole guide.

Tip...don't demote the old server right away. Just power her down....let it sit for a few weeks...and when no issues comes up...fire her up and complete the removal process.

 

[pctechsupport]

Cheers for that. I appreciate the info. I presume its the same process if moving to Standard 2012 instead of Essentials?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Cheers for that. I appreciate the info. I presume its the same process if moving to Standard 2012 instead of Essentials?

The basics...yes. Some fine details...like belonging to certain groups/OUs...slightly different. Essentials, much like SBS, had it's own custom GPOs and OUs....which are not in Standard.

 

[pctechsupport]

@YeOldeStoneCat - thanks for the info.

 

[marley1]

Also if it is a small network sometimes just a rebuild is just as fast.