Install Windows SBS 2011 Standard in migration mode

Published: January 28, 2011

Updated: February 24, 2011

Applies To: Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard

You can have only one server on your network that is running Windows SBS, and that server must be a domain controller for the network.

When you install Windows SBS 2011 Standard in migration mode, the following tasks are accomplished:

  • Windows SBS 2011 Standard is installed and configured on the Destination Server.

  • The Destination Server is joined to the existing domain. The Source Server and the Destination Server can be members of the AD DS domain until the migration process is finished. After the migration is finished, you must remove the Source Server from the network within 21 days.

Note

An error message is added to the event log each day during the 21 day grace period until you remove the Source Server from your network. The error message says, "The FSMO Role Check detected a condition in your environment that is out of compliance with the licensing policy. The Management Server must hold the primary domain controller and domain naming master Active Directory roles. Please move the Active Directory roles to the Management Server now. This server will be automatically shut down if the issue is not corrected in 21 days from the time this condition was first detected." After the 21 day grace period, the Source Server will shut down.

  • The operations master (also called flexible single master operations or FSMO) roles are transferred from the Source Server to the Destination Server. Operations master roles in AD DS are specialized domain-controller tasks, which are used when standard data-transfer and update methods are inadequate. When the Destination Server becomes a domain controller, it must hold the operations master roles.

  • The Destination Server becomes a global catalog server. The global catalog server is a domain controller that manages a distributed data repository. It contains a searchable, partial representation of every object in every domain in the AD DS forest.

  • The Destination Server becomes the site licensing server.

  • The DHCP Server service is installed and configured on the Destination Server. Only one DHCP Server service can be active in the Windows SBS 2011 Standard network. The responsibility for managing the DHCP Server service is transferred from the Source Server to the Destination Server.

Note

Before you start the migration, enable the DHCP Server service on the Source Server. Do not enable the DHCP Server service on the router.

Note

If you have DHCP with custom configuration on the Source Server, backup the DHCP configuration so it can be restored on Windows SBS 2011 Standard after migration.

To install Windows SBS 2011 Standard on the Destination Server

  1. Turn on the Destination Server and insert Windows SBS 2011 Standard DVD1 in the DVD drive. If you see a message that asks if you want to boot from a CD or DVD, press any key to do so.

Note

If the Destination Server supports booting from USB flash drives, you can use the “Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool” to create a bootable USB Flash drive from the Windows SBS 2011 Standard ISO file. This will significantly speed up the installation process as the Flash drives read much faster than the DVD-Rom drives. After the bootable USB flash drive is created you can add the answer file onto this drive. The “Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool” can be downloaded from Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool.

Note

If the Destination Server does not boot from the DVD, restart the computer and check the BIOS Setup to ensure that DVD-ROM is listed first in the boot sequence. For more information about how to change the BIOS Setup boot sequence, see your hardware manufacturer's documentation.

Note

If the removable media that contains the answer file is a USB flash drive, you must change the boot order in the BIOS Setup to assure that the server does not attempt to boot to the USB flash drive.

  1. The installation wizard loads files into memory.

  2. Verify your language and regional preferences, and then click Next.

  3. Insert the USB flash drive or other removable storage device that contains the migration answer file into the Destination Server, and then click Install Now.

Note

The migration answer file is automatically detected on the root of any drive. If the migration answer file is configured to run the installation in unattended mode, values from the file are used during migration. You will not be prompted for values unless they are invalid or missing from the answer file.

  1. Read the license terms. If you accept them, select the I accept the license terms check box, and then click Next.

Note

If you do not choose to accept the license terms, the installation does not continue.

  1. On the Which type of installation do you want page, click Custom (advanced).

  2. If you need to install drivers for your server hardware, on the Where do you want to install Windows? page, click Drive options (advanced), and then click Load Driver.

    1. Insert the removable storage device that contains the drivers, and then click Browse in the Load driver dialog box.

    2. Browse to the location of the drivers, and then click OK.

    3. When you finish installing the drivers, on the Select the driver to be installed page, click Next. You are returned to the Where do you want to install Windows? page.

  3. On the Where do you want to install Windows? page, create and then select the partition where you want to install the operating system.

    If the hard disk that you want to use is not listed, such as a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) drive, you must download the driver for the hard disk. Obtain the driver from the manufacturer, and then save it to a removable storage device, such as a USB flash drive. Insert the removable storage device into your server, click Drive options (advanced), and then click Load Driver. After the driver is loaded and the hard disk is listed, complete one of the following steps.

    • To create a partition from unpartitioned space, click the hard disk that you want to partition, click Drive options (advanced), click New, and then type the partition size in the text box. For example, if you use the recommended partition size of 120 gigabytes (GB), type 120000, and then click Apply. After the partition is created, click Next to format the partition.

    • To create a partition that uses all of the unpartitioned space, click the hard disk that you want to partition, click Drive options (advanced), click New, and then click Apply to accept the default partition size. After the partition is created, click Next to format the partition.

Important

After you finish this step, you cannot change the partition on which you install the operating system.

  1. The operating system is installed on the selected partition. After the operating system is installed, the Destination Server restarts.

  2. If the migration answer file is successfully detected, the Verify the clock and time zone settings page is displayed. Click Open Date and Time to verify the clock and time zone settings to check the date, time, and time zone settings. When you are finished, click Next.

Note

If the migration answer file is configured for unattended mode, steps 11 through 16 are completed automatically, unless information in the migration answer file is invalid or missing.

Note

If the migration answer file is configured for attended mode, the text boxes on the following installation pages are populated with the information that you provided in the migration answer file. If the information is not correct, you can change it before proceeding.

  1. On the Source and Destination Server networking information page, verify that the IP addresses of the Source and Destination Servers and the default gateway IP address are correct. If appropriate, select the DHCP is running on the Source Server check box. Then click Next.

  2. On the Source and Destination Server information page, verify that the information about the Source Server, domain administrator account, Destination Server, and certification authority are correct. Then click Next.

Note

You cannot change the Destination Server name or the internal domain name after you finish this step.

  1. On the Get important updates page, if the Destination Server is connected to the Internet, click Go online and get the most recent installation updates (recommended). If the Destination Server is not connected to the Internet, click Do not get the most recent installation updates. After the installation finishes and you configure Internet access, you can connect to the Internet to get the most recent updates.

  2. If you selected this option, the Connecting your server page is displayed and the most recent installation updates are downloaded.

  3. On the Company information page, verify that the information is correct, and then click Next. This information is used to configure server tools.

  4. The Expanding and installing files page displays the progress of the final installation process. When the Windows SBS 2011 Standard installation finishes, the server restarts.

  5. After the server restarts, the Installation finished page is displayed. Click Start the Migration Wizard to close the page and to start using the Windows SBS 2011 Standard Console. The Home page of the Windows SBS 2011 Standard Console displays Getting Started Tasks.

    If there were issues during installation, click View installation issues on the Installation finished page. The Windows SBS 2011 Standard Console displays the Home page with Getting Started Tasks, so that you can start using the Destination Server and resolving the issues.

  6. To complete the migration process, you must migrate settings and data from the Source Server to the Destination Server by using the Migration Wizard. For information about running the Migration Wizard, see Move settings and data to the Destination Server for Windows SBS 2011 Standard migration.

Note

  • If the desktop is locked while Windows SBS 2011 Standard is being installed and before the Destination Server is promoted to a domain controller, you can unlock the desktop by using the built-in administrator account and leaving the password blank.

  • If the desktop is locked while Windows SBS 2011 Standard is being installed and after the Destination Server is promoted to a domain controller, you can unlock the desktop by using the administrator user account and the password that you provided in the migration answer file.

  • After the installation finishes, you are automatically logged on with the administrator user account and password that you provided in the migration answer file.

  • To avoid issues when users add printers to their client computers, ensure that both the latest 32-bit and 64-bit drivers for your shared printers are available on the network.