Demote and remove the Source Server from the network to finish Windows SBS 2008 migration

Updated: March 3, 2009

Applies To: Windows SBS 2008

These instructions are for migrating from Windows SBS 2003. If you are migrating from Windows SBS 2008, see the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=144397).

After you finish installing Windows SBS 2008 and you complete the tasks in the Migration Wizard, you must do the following:

• Prepare your organization for removal of the last Exchange 2003 server

• Uninstall Exchange Server 2003

• Physically disconnect printers that are directly connected to the Source Server

• Demote the Source Server

• Remove the Source Server from the network

• Edit the Software Updates Group Policy Object on the Destination Server

• Repurpose the Source Server

Prepare your organization for removal of the last server running Exchange Server 2003

Tasks to complete prior to uninstalling Exchange Server 2003

1. Move all mailboxes.

2. Move all contents from the public folders.

3. Move the Offline Address Book Generation Process.

4. Remove the public folder mailbox and stores.

5. Verify that you can send and receive e-mail to and from the Internet.

6. Delete the routing group connectors.

7. Delete or reconfigure the Mailbox Manager policies.

8. Move the public folder hierarchy to the Exchange 2007 Administrative Group.

9. Delete the domain Recipient Update Services.

10. Delete the Enterprise Recipient Update Service.

For detailed instructions about how to complete these steps, see the section “To remove the last Exchange 2003 or Exchange 2000 server from an Exchange 2007 organization” in the article "How to Remove the Last Legacy Exchange Server from an Organization" at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=141927).

Uninstall Exchange Server 2003

You must uninstall Exchange Server 2003 from the Source Server before you demote it. This removes all references in AD DS to Exchange Server on the Source Server. You must have your Windows Small Business Server 2003 media to remove Exchange Server 2003.

Physically disconnect printers that are directly connected to the Source Server

Before demoting 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 SBS 2008.

Demote the Source Server

You must demote the Source Server from the role of an Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) domain controller to the role of a domain member server.

To force a Group Policy update on a client computer

1. Log on the client computer as an administrator.

2. Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as 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. On the Source Server, click Start, click Run, type dcpromo, and then click OK.

2. Click Next twice.

3. In the Summary dialog box, you are informed that Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) will be removed from the computer and that the server will become a member of the domain. Click Next.

4. Click Finish. The Source Server restarts.

5. After the Source Server restarts, make the Source Server a member of a workgroup before you disconnect it from the network.

After you make the Source Server 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 AD DS

1. On the Destination Server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

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

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

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 the Source Server from the network

Remove the Source Server from the network, and keep it available for at least one week in case some necessary data was not migrated.

Edit the Software Updates Group Policy object on the Destination Server

After demoting and removing the Source Server, it is still included in the scope for the Update Services Group Policy object (GPO) on the Destination Server. This is now an unresolvable security identifier (SID) and should be removed in the Group Policy Management Console on the Destination Server.

To update the Software Updates GPO

1. On the Destination Server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.

2. On the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

3. In the Group Policy Management console, in the navigation pane, expand **Forest:**DomainName, expand Domains, expand DomainName, and then expand Group Policy Objects.

4. Click Update Services Server Computers Policy.

5. In the results pane, click the Scope tab.

6. In the Security Filtering section, click the object that begins with S-1-5. This is the Source Server SID.

7. Click Remove, and then click OK.

Repurpose the Source Server

After you uninstall Exchange Server and 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.

For more information, see "Implementing a Second Server on Your Windows Small Business Server 2008 Network" at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=104875).