Hi, We are migrating to a 2008 R2 environment. Actually we have 3 servers in the domain: - 2003 SP1 (FSMO role) - 2003 R2 SP2 - 2008 R2 (5 Instances, 2 for Citrix Server) All servers AD are replicating correctly. The 2003 servers will be depromoted in about one month. On one of the 2008 R2 instance, we have installed all necessary printer drivers. We have actually the problem that on both Citrix instances we should have the printer drivers available but we can't add them (it seems to appear in the list, but it is impossible to add them). Above information is just for context. My question is the following one: the third party company which is responsible for the 2008 Server says that the 2003 SP1 could be the problem and it should be upgraded to SP2. My problem is that it is THE productive machine still for one month and I don’t want to take risks. It has been bought with SP1 and after I have installed promoted it to DC and configured AD. May I install SP2 without any bad feelings? Thanks a lot for your answers Hubert

Hello, it is always recommanded by Microsoft to update your OS. I don't know any problems with SP2. Just backup your system state before proceeding, install SP2 and then check that is okay. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights. Microsoft Student Partner Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Security Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: Security Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuration

Hello, Of course it should have been updated since a long time... With backing up system state, I suppose you mean making a backup of AD. I am just worried that updating to SP2 could disturb the AD (FSMO role on that server) and eventually disturb the old printer drivers which are on that machine.

For printer drivers it is possible. You can update to SP2. If there is a problem with drivers then update them. I don't see any problem with AD. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights. Microsoft Student Partner Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Security Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: Security Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuration Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuration

I am just worried that updating to SP2 could disturb the AD (FSMO role on that server) and eventually disturb the old printer drivers which are on that machine. Hello, if you are concernd about the FSMOs transfer them to the new Windows server 2008 R2 DC or to another DC during the upgrade, which btw, is recommended anyway. Upgrading What are the "5 instances" you are talking about on the Windows server 2008 R2 machine?Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.

Hi, Thanks Meinolf and Mr X. I have noted for the printer drivers. Virtual servers have been implemented. This is the reason why I am speaking about instances (1 DC, 1 File Server, 2 Citrix Server, 1 Reserve). Yes, FSMOs transfer to the new Windows server 2008 R2 DC is something which schould be done and it could be a good opportunity. First SP2 on the 2003 DC then server restart and finally FSMOs transfer. Right? Best regards Hubert

Hello, no need to wait, transfer them direct, SP 2 is not needed for it. And after they are transferred the FSMOs already available, even if somehting happens during SP installation on the older DC.Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.

Thanks a lot Meinolf for these valuables advices. By the way, do you know how I could access this Forum with Windows Live Mail (Newsgroup)? I had no success until now and also no answers on a post by another forum

Hello, you have to use the Microsoft forums bridge: http://connect.microsoft.com/MicrosoftForums Or the free bit more useful free bridge: http://communitybridge.codeplex.com/ (my preferred one)Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.

Thanks. I will use probably the second one :-)

Hi Meinolf, We are just trying to transfer the FSMOs. By one of them we seem to have a problem, namely when we do it with the schema master (from root console). The current schema master is correctly displayed but when we clic on change it produces an error message like "not connected with the right server" (someone else is doing it and I am not there). Do you have an idea? As I have already all planed, would it be a problem if we do this point after installing SP2 on the old Server?

Just another word: we have done it already succesfully for: RID, PDC, Infrastructure we have a problem wit schema master after we should do it for Domain master

it works now...

Hi Meinolf, We are just trying to transfer the FSMOs. By one of them we seem to have a problem, namely when we do it with the schema master (from root console). The current schema master is correctly displayed but when we clic on change it produces an error message like "not connected with the right server" (someone else is doing it and I am not there). Do you have an idea? As I have already all planed, would it be a problem if we do this point after installing SP2 on the old Server? Hello, to transfer the schema master FSMO make sure to connect to the correct DC in the console.Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.

Hello Meinolf, Yes it was the point and finally we found it ourselves. For your information, it really seems that the lack of SP2 on the 2003 Server has disturbed the 2008 Server concerning the printers. I am happy that we could solve this and of course that installing SP2 was without problem. Also thanks to your advice, we could sucessfully transfer the FSMOs, which is a good step in this project. I know you since years and I always enjoy to get some advices from you... Best regards Hubert Retif

Hello Meinolf, Yes it was the point and finally we found it ourselves. For your information, it really seems that the lack of SP2 on the 2003 Server has disturbed the 2008 Server concerning the printers. I am happy that we could solve this and of course that installing SP2 was without problem. Also thanks to your advice, we could sucessfully transfer the FSMOs, which is a good step in this project. I know you since years and I always enjoy to get some advices from you... Best regards Hubert Retif Hello, nice to hear that everything is working so far. Please do not forget to reconfigure the time services on the old/new PDCEmulator, some details about in: http://msmvps.com/blogs/mweber/archive/2010/06/27/time-configuration-in-a-windows-domain.aspx Thanks for the credits. Really appreciated :-)Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.