Hello, I need help with moving SCCM from Windows Server 2003 R2 x86 to Windows Server 2008 R2 x64. I know that supported way is to use backup and recovery procedure, but If I want to use it I need to install Configuration manager to same path as it is on the old server. Problem is that I can not install it there. Old istalation directory is E:\SCCM and new is c:\SCCM.Reason of this change is that partition C is on on the fast HDD drives and another partitions are on the slow HDD. Another question is what can happen to new SCCM server if i put on C drive file NO_SMS_ON_DRIVES.SMS . I don not want on the c drive any packages etc., I want there only SCCM instalation. Can anyone help with it? Thanks Martin

If you want to change the install path you must use a new site code. Basically you can do a side-by-side migration. Is your OS in C: also? I wouldn't not install SCCM on the same drive as the OS. I've never tried adding the no_sms_on_drive.sms file to the drive where SCCM is installed. That file will prevent the installation of site systems on the drive. Sounds like a bad idea to me to try to use that to prevent the DP from using that drive since that's where SCCM is installed. The no_sms_on_drive.sms file prevents site system role component installation, on a drive with this file present, for all site systems that are installed by site component manager. If site role installation files are already present on the drive before placing the no_sms_on_drive.sms file on the drive, the installation files are not moved. John Marcum | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jmarcum |

Hi Marin, If you cannot use backup/restore, site-by-site migration is a better solution, the following are the basic steps for your reference: 1. Build new SCCM Server (new site name and site code) 2. Attach new SCCM site as a child site to the existing SCCM site 3. Let all objects replicate down 4. Break the relationship between the two 5. Remove that boundary from the old SCCM site 6. Add that boundary to the new SCCM site 7. Reassign clients to new site.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

John: Creating a no_sms_on_drive.sms on the install drive is not a problem at all. We have used this to be able to have site roles on a different disk that the main installation. We created the no_sms... file before we installed ConfigMgr and got everything that ConfigMgr creates itself on another disk.

I should use this plan on practice. I've created a new SCCM Secondary site, attached it to existing one. But I still have 5204 error which I still haven't solved. And now I must "let's all object replicate down". How to do it? Where and what should I do in console to replicate all down? Is there any detailed manual exists? If so, would you be so kind to provide it to me? Because I understand how to do it but all over the internet there's no detailed information about it. Thanks.

Replication does happen automatically (if everything is configured right). You did not mention that you are talking about a secondary site. It's much easier then. Just install a new server (new name, sitecode) as a new child site. Remove the boundaries from the old one, add it to the new one. Copy packages. Done. Error 5204? Are you talking about "SMS Active Directory System Discovery Agent failed to bind to container"?

Yes, I was talking about secondary site and I was wrong, and now I get it. I must configure absolutely new site with new database and new site code configure it as a child site and connect it to an existing one, after that everything should replicate automatically, but if it's not, what sholud I check? And then break child-parent connectiona reassign clients to a new site and turn off an old site. But I dont know what is the right way to attach them? Make key for parent, make key for child site, put them into hman.box onto each server and everything should replicate automatically? Error 5204? Are you talking about "SMS Active Directory System Discovery Agent failed to bind to container"? - Yes I gave all security rights to computer account to SYSTEM and SYSTEM MANAGEMENT containers in AD but error is still appears.

Secondary sites don't have a own database. They make use of their primary site's DB. So no need to create a new DB. If replication does not work: sender.log, replmgr.log, despool.log on both sites. Clients can only be assigned to primary sites, so you don't have to reassign them. Just "move" the boundaries to the new site and the clients can use the MP of the new secondary. No need to change anything on the clients. Have you follow http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb633169.aspx exactly?

So I still can't understand, do I need "Create a new primary site with it's new database and new site code and then make it a child site" or I can "Create a secondary site and make it a child site and then make a replication"? If replication does not work: sender.log, replmgr.log, despool.log on both sites. - thanks a lot I'am now testing all on VM and I forgot to add server account to SiteToSite_Connection local group. Now replication started immediately but all replicated collections are locked and every collection appears in a child site for two times. What should I check now? Just "move" the boundaries to the new site and the clients can use the MP of the new secondary. No need to change anything on the clients. - for example, right now there's a few boundaries at a central site that are 10.30.0.0 and 10.192.0.0 and there's no boundaries defined at all on a child site, what boundaries should I assign and, please, what is "move" boundaries? Just create same boundaries on a child site and delete them on a primary? How to break parent-child partnership?

Guys I need your help! Here are many monsters of SCCM and nobody can't say what exactly should I do? There's many topics here but they are not detailed at all. We have one old server and one new server, database is on a third sql server. I need to move central site to a new hardware with a new server name. Are everybody is too busy just to write here a little detailed manual or just nobody here never tried to move central site to a new hardware? Lots of MVP's and nobody wants to help? I think I must do following: 1. Create a secondary site on a new server. 2. Make it a child site to an existing one. (I should create an adresses to ) 3. Wait when all replicates to child site. (How can I know when replication has started and all replicated successfully?) 4. Break primary-child relationship (What is the right way to do it? Just delete addresses and senders? Or I must do something else?) 5. Remove boundary. (Just delete them at all from old site and that's all?) 6. Add that boundary to the new SCCM site. (Just add boundaries from old site?) 7. Reassign clients. (What is the fastest and easiest way to do it? I've read I should use GPO is that correct?) Come on MVP's and moderators! Nobody want to teach someone who don't know it? Or everybody knows only a theory? It's a piece of cake for you, but why there' s silence on this page? Or It's a greatest secret of all times "Site-By-Site migration of SCCM to a new hardware with a new server and site name". Guys just a more detailed information about my plan. Everybody is just too busy? Please, help. :)

Yes, I was talking about secondary site and I was wrong [...] So I still can't understand, do I need "Create a new primary site with it's new database and new site code and then make it a child site" or I can "Create a secondary site and make it a child site and then make a replication"? [...] Lots of MVP's and nobody wants to help? Well ... we don't know what your need is. That thread deals with "Moving SCCM to new hardware". So there must be an existing site. It's only you who knows the actual setup (primary or secondary). Any chance that you were mixing up primaries / secondaries and parent / child sites? Secondary sites cannot be re-assigned to other parent primary sites. The have to be un-installed and re-installed. Moving sites to new hardware was discussed many times in the backup and recovery subforum: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrbackup/threads. Primary sites on the other hand can be reattached to new parent sites. So it depends on your current configuration. That is still not clear. And that might be a reason why nobody is able to answer your question (because of a lack of information and too much confusion).

Ok I could try to provide more detailed information. Well ... we don't know what your need is. - What exactly you don't know? What exaclty kind of information is missing? You dont asking questions about what information is missing. Actually I gave all the information need, as I think. But Ok. I have old SCCM site on a A server, I need to migrate SCCM Site to a new B server (just because of new hardware) and keep all old data and then shut down old server with old site. Can you now clearly understand what am I trying to say? And now I understood what I must do. I must create a new SCCM server with a new site code, connect new one to an old one as a child server, replicate all data to a new site server. Delete boundary on old site, create the same on new one. Then break child parent relationship. Reassign all clients to new site code. Then I must shut down old sccm server because I don't need to use it anymore. How to reassign old clients to a new site? They should reassign automatically?

I have old SCCM site on a A server, I need to migrate SCCM Site to a new B server (just because of new hardware) and keep all old data and then shut down old server with old site. That's still missing: is this a primary or a secondary site? That's vital for answering your question. Plus: the original question was dealing with different installation paths. That seems not to be the case in your scenario. You simply can use ConfigMgr's backup and restore mechanisms to do that (if we're talking about a primary site. It would be not supported to restore secondaries).

I have only one primary site with no other sites at all. You simply can use ConfigMgr's backup and restore mechanisms to do that - I have read that article http://microsoftteched.com/2010/02/01/site-repair-wizard/#comment-752 and looks like if I want to use backup & restore I should use the same server name. In my case I must use another server name. Or I am wrong?

Backup and restore assumes the same system name (and a few other things like drive letters) -- it won't work any other way. You can follow the the side-by-side migration methodology to accomplish the migration: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb681052.aspx.Jason | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jsandys | http://blogs.catapultsystems.com/jsandys/default.aspx | Twitter @JasonSandys

I'am practicing on virtual machines, I've downloaded them from MS site, and I have made almost all I needed. The only thing that remained is reassigning clients, but I fugured out how to reassign it using GPO http://loguinfo.blogspot.com/2010/07/sccm-client-reassign-sitecode.html On virtual machines there were some problems with showing up which a site that test PC is assigned to. This information still doesn't appeared. But after all collections were replicated I got remote access to a test PC. Maybe when I'll try to make all the stuff on a real network and I'll see, what will happen with clients assignment.

Guys I need your help! Here are many monsters of SCCM and nobody can't say what exactly should I do? There's many topics here but they are not detailed at all. We have one old server and one new server, database is on a third sql server. I need to move central site to a new hardware with a new server name. Are everybody is too busy just to write here a little detailed manual or just nobody here never tried to move central site to a new hardware? Lots of MVP's and nobody wants to help? I think I must do following: 1. Create a secondary site on a new server. 2. Make it a child site to an existing one. (I should create an adresses to ) 3. Wait when all replicates to child site. (How can I know when replication has started and all replicated successfully?) 4. Break primary-child relationship (What is the right way to do it? Just delete addresses and senders? Or I must do something else?) 5. Remove boundary. (Just delete them at all from old site and that's all?) 6. Add that boundary to the new SCCM site. (Just add boundaries from old site?) 7. Reassign clients. (What is the fastest and easiest way to do it? I've read I should use GPO is that correct?) Come on MVP's and moderators! Nobody want to teach someone who don't know it? Or everybody knows only a theory? It's a piece of cake for you, but why there' s silence on this page? Or It's a greatest secret of all times "Site-By-Site migration of SCCM to a new hardware with a new server and site name". Guys just a more detailed information about my plan. Everybody is just too busy? Please, help. :) This is the best/explicit answer for doing a side-by-side migration that i've seen so far(and i have been looking for a couple of days)! Thanks John, i'll try it in our test lab!