Windows Server 2003 Active Directory to 2008 sever AD

Note: This article was written when Windows Server 2008 was still RC0. Changes might occur later once the product is RTM'd

Upgrade Steps
1. On you Windows Server 2003 DC, insert the Windows Server 2008 DVD, and then open command prompt and run the following commands, make sure first to browse to the adprep directory inside the Windows 2008 DVD , in my case case, the F drive is the DVD Drive letter, so to browse to the adprep directory I would write the following inside cmd: cd f:\sources\adprerp
• adprep/ forestprep
• adprep/ domainprep
• adprep/ rodcprep (Optional, if you plan to add a Read Only Domain Controller Later)

2. If the Install Windows page did not auto run before the previous step, double click on your DVD drive where you have inserted the Windows Server 2008 DVD, then Click on Install now


3. A please wait screen will be followed, then a page to decide what to do, either to go online and get the latest updates for installation or to skip going online by clicking on the Do not get the latest updates for installation option


I will perform the updates later, so for the purpose of this article, I will click on Do not get the latest updates for installation

4. Enter the product key, click Next

5. Accept the license terms and click on Next

6. What we need to do is to upgrade our server, so click on the Upgrade option


7. The compatibility report will be displayed telling you what hardware might not function once upgrade is completed , also to check with software vendors to check if their software are compatible with Windows Server 2008. click Next

8. Upgrade is now in process

9. The Server will be restarted automatically several times, the Upgrade process will continue with the remaining operations:

o Expanding Files
o Installing Features and updates
o Completing Upgrade

After multiple restarts, the Upgrade process will be completed and you will be able to start using your Windows Server 2008.
Summary
In this article, I showed you how to do an in-place upgrade for Windows Server 2003 Domain Controller to Windows Server 2008. The steps are easy and straightforward, just make sure while reading the compatibility report, if any of the hardware/software installed on your Server are compatible with Windows Server 2008.

Upgrading from Windows Server 2003

Upgrading from Windows Server 2003
The information and resources available through this page will help you upgrade to Windows Server 2008 from Windows Server 2003.
Featured Content

Top 11 Reasons to Upgrade to Windows Server 2008
Find out about the major new features and improvements for organizations considering upgrading to Windows Server 2008.
Upgrade Assistance and Support
• Assessment and Planning Toolkit for Windows Server 2008
Quickly and effectively collect the detailed infrastructure information you need for planning your migration to Windows Server 2008.
• Windows Server 2008 Training from Microsoft Learning
Get ready for upgrading to Windows Server 2008 now through the Microsoft Learning Portal for Windows Server 2008.
• TechNet TechCenter: Windows Server 2008
Use the step-by-step reference materials in the Windows Server 2008 TechCenter to aid updating to Windows Server 2008.
Migration paths from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 are summarized below.
Migration paths from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 RC0 evaluation software are summarized below. Final migration paths for the RTM versions of Windows Server 2008 will be determined in the coming months.
If you are running*: You can upgrade to:
• Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition
• Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition with Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition with Service Pack 2 (SP2) • Full installation of Windows Server 2008 Standard (with or without Hyper-V)
• Full installation of Windows Server 2008 Enterprise (with or without Hyper-V)
• Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition
• Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition with Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition with Service Pack 2 (SP2) • Full installation of Windows Server 2008 Enterprise (with or without Hyper-V)
• Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter Edition
• Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition with Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition with Service Pack 2 (SP2) • Full installation of Windows Server 2008 Datacenter (with or without Hyper-V)
*Note: With the exception of Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems, this table applies equally to 32-bit and x64-based versions. However, cross-platform upgrades (32-bit to 64-bit or the reverse) are not supported.