Demote and remove the Source Server from the new Windows Server 2012 Essentials network

 

Updated: March 1, 2013

Applies To: Windows Server 2012 Essentials, Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials

After you finish installing Windows Server 2012 Essentials and you complete the Migration, you must perform the following tasks:

  1. Remove Active Directory Certificate Services

  2. Disconnect printers that are directly connected to the Source Server

  3. Demote the Source Server

  4. Remove and repurpose the Source Server

Remove Active Directory Certificate Services

The procedure is slightly different if you have multiple Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) role services installed on a single server. You can use the following procedure to uninstall an AD CS role service and to retain other AD CS role services.

To complete this procedure, you must log on with the same permissions as the user who installed the certification authority (CA). If you are uninstalling an enterprise CA, membership in Enterprise Admins or its equivalent is the minimum required to complete this procedure.

To remove AD CS
  1. Log on to the Source Server as a domain administrator.

  2. On the Start screen, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Server Manager.

  3. Click Continue in the User Account Control dialog box.

  4. In Server Manager, click Manage, and then click Remove Roles and Features.

  5. In the Remove Roles and Features Wizard, click Next.

  6. On the Select destination server page, select the local server, and then click Next.

  7. On the Remove server roles page, expand Active Directory Certificate Services, clear the Certification Authority Web Enrollment check box, and then click Next.

  8. After removing the Certification Authority Web Enrollment role, close the Remove Roles and Features wizard, and return to Server Manager.

  9. In Server Manager, click Manage, and then click Remove Roles and Features.

  10. In the Remove Roles and Features Wizard, click Next.

  11. On the Select destination server page, select the local server, and then click Next.

  12. On the Remove server roles page, expand Active Directory Certificate Services, clear the Active Directory Certificate Services check box, and then click Next.

  13. On the Confirm Removal Options page, review the information, and then click Remove.

Note

If Internet Information Services (IIS) is running, you are prompted to stop the service before proceeding. Click OK.

  1. When the Remove Roles Wizard finishes, restart the server to complete the uninstallation process.

Important

Restart the server even if you are not prompted to do so.

Disconnect printers that are directly connected to the Source Server

Before you demote the Source Server, physically disconnect any printers that are directly connected to the Source Server and are shared through the Source Server. Ensure that no Active Directory objects remain for the printers that were directly connected to the Source Server. The printers can then be directly connected to the Destination Server and shared from Windows Server 2012 Essentials.

Demote the Source Server

Before you demote the Source Server from the role of the AD DS domain controller to the role of a domain member server, ensure that Group Policy settings are applied to all client computers, as described in the following procedure.

Important

The Source Server and the Destination Server must be connected to the network while the Group Policy changes are updated on the client computers.

To force a Group Policy update on a client computer
  1. Log on to the client computer as an administrator.

  2. Open a Command Prompt window as an administrator. For more information, see To open a Command Prompt window as an Administrator.

  3. At the command prompt, type gpupdate /force, and then press ENTER.

  4. The process may require you to log off and log on again to finish. Click Yes to confirm.

To demote the Source Server
  1. Log on to the Source Server as a domain administrator.

  2. On the Start screen, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Server Manager.

  3. In Server Manager, click Manage, and then click Remove Roles and Features.

  4. On the Before you begin screen, click Next.

  5. On the Server Selection screen, select Local Server, and then click Next.

  6. On the Server Roles screen, clear the Active Directory Domain Services check box.

  7. Click Remove Features in the dialog box.

  8. Click Demote this domain controller in the next dialog box.

  9. On the Credentials screen, do not select the Last domain controller in the domain check box. Click Next.

  10. On the Warnings screen, select the Proceed with removal check box. Click Next.

  11. On Removal Options screen, click Next.

  12. On the Review Options screen, click Demote.

    When the demotion is finished, the server will restart automatically.

After you add the Source Server as a member of a workgroup and disconnect it from the network, you must remove it from AD DS on the Destination Server.

To remove the Source Server from Active Directory
  1. On the Destination Server, open Active Directory Users and Computers.

  2. In the User Account Control window, click Continue if prompted.

  3. In the Active Directory Users and Computers navigation pane, expand the domain name, and then expand Computers.

  4. Right-click the Source Server name if it still exists in the list of servers, click Delete, and then click Yes.

  5. Verify that the Source Server is not listed, and then close Active Directory Users and Computers.

Remove and repurpose the Source Server

Turn off the Source Server and disconnect it from the network. We recommend that you do not reformat the Source Server for at least one week to ensure that all the necessary data migrated to the Destination Server. After you have verified that all the data has migrated, you can reinstall this server on the network as a secondary server for other tasks, if required.

Note

After you demote and remove the Source Server, restart the Destination Server.

After you demote the Source Server, it is not in a healthy state. If you want to repurpose the Source Server, the simplest way is to reformat it, install a server operating system, and then set it up for use as an additional server.