HOW TO UPDATE A WINDOWS SERVER 2003 DOMAIN CONTROLLER TO WINDOWS SERVER 2016 DOMAIN CONTROLLER

If you are running 32 bit Windows Server 2003, forget about trying to upgrade. If you are not sure which version you are running do this:

Start Menu -> Run -> Type “WinVer”

Add Server 2016 to 2003 domain

The best option, in my opinion, is to build a clean installation of Windows Server 2016 and then migrate the domain controller services over from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2016.

Add Server 2016 to 2003 domain

There are many pre-requisites for this process to be successful.

Your domain must meet the following criteria:

The Windows Server 2003 Domain controller MUST be on the Domain Functional Level “Windows Server 2003”. If you are on Windows Server 2000 Mode then you must upgrade to “Windows Server 2003” Domain Functional Level

You must also have a server with a fresh licenced copy of Windows Server 2016 installed

How to check your Domain Functional Level on Windows Server 2003

First Check your Domain Functional Level.

This is done by opening Active Directory Users and Computers

Right click on the domain root name (turbogeek.co.uk in the example below) and select Raise domain functional leve

Build your Windows Server 2016 Domain Controller

From  Server Manager, go to Add Roles & Features and Install the Active Directory Domain Services role

After the ADDS role is installed, open server manager again and select Promote this server to a domain controller

On the deployment configuration pages Select Add a domain controller to an existing domain

Enter the name of your domain

Enter the Domain Admin credentials and click next