Adding a Windows 2003 Server to a Windows NT Server 4.0 Domain

Question

I have a Windows NT Server 4.0 Domain Controller VPC. I have built a new Windows 2003 Server VPC. I would like to join this Windows 2003 Server to the NT Server 4.0 Domain Controller.

How do I do it?

Answer 1

This article outlines the difficulties encountered when joining Windows XP to an NT4 based domain, I assume the article is relevant to Windows 2003 as well.

You should be able to change the computer membership to the NT4 domain.

If you're trying to make a the Windows Server 2003 VPC a domain controller, then I suggest reading up here about the required domain functionality level a bit down the page there is some information about entering into interim mode.

Windows Server 2003 interim

Supported domain controllers: Windows NT 4.0, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

Supported features: There are no domain-wide features activated at this level. All domains in a forest are automatically raised to this level when the forest level increases to interim. This mode is only used when you upgrade domain controllers in Windows NT 4.0 domains to Windows Server 2003 domain controllers.