Transfering Server HDDs.

stormsavant · 10-03-2007, 02:36 PM

I'm having a hard time finding some answers for an issue I have. You see, I work for a small business that has a domain controller, running hardware that is pretty much about to die. We run an MSSQL on the server and we also operate our Exchange for Email from that machine. We have an internal website too for timecard info.

My issue is this:

There's quite a bit of information we need to keep here. And my only objective is to increase the efficiency of the PDC by upgrading it. But there's nothing in the actual OS setup or functionality that we want or need to change. Though I have been told by a few people that I might as well buy the same OS and install it onto the new machine, then simply fresh install all the programs, and transfer all critical information. But this is cumbersome and the more research I do on it, the less it seems even possible.

I've been attempting to find a way to move the HDDs in the old machine into the new machine, while managing to keep everything intact on the HDDs themselves. There is an SCSI Controller in the old machine as well that I will also want to move.

I know that machines with differing (especially exponentially differing) hardware configurations have driver issues, or won't read HDDs because of motherboard or BIOS configurations. But from my experience, you can do an OS reinstall or repair in order to get HDDs to operate with all their information still intact, after transporting from one machine to another.

Has anyone ever tried a OS restore/repair with 2003 server before?

**linderman** · 10-03-2007, 05:29 PM

better than repair / restore

run SYSPREP on the OS drive BEFORE you remove the drives from the old system and transplant them into a new server

after the transplant is complete, when you boot the server it will redetect all hardware again (like a first time senario) then simply install drivers and motherboard chipset drivers

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...ws+server+2003

stormsavant · 10-11-2007, 03:49 PM

Hey, thanks for the tip. I did some research in the Sysprep Tool and it seems like it may work. The only issue I am having is that the .cab does not instantiate all the .exe files dependant to run Sysprep. But I managed to run a search in the System32 folder and manually extract them into a new directory. I will update if I have any issues (as nothing, especially when it comes to servers, goes to plan).

10-03-2007, 02:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
stormsavant Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3 OS: Windows Server 2003 for Small Business	Transfering Server HDDs. I'm having a hard time finding some answers for an issue I have. You see, I work for a small business that has a domain controller, running hardware that is pretty much about to die. We run an MSSQL on the server and we also operate our Exchange for Email from that machine. We have an internal website too for timecard info. My issue is this: There's quite a bit of information we need to keep here. And my only objective is to increase the efficiency of the PDC by upgrading it. But there's nothing in the actual OS setup or functionality that we want or need to change. Though I have been told by a few people that I might as well buy the same OS and install it onto the new machine, then simply fresh install all the programs, and transfer all critical information. But this is cumbersome and the more research I do on it, the less it seems even possible. I've been attempting to find a way to move the HDDs in the old machine into the new machine, while managing to keep everything intact on the HDDs themselves. There is an SCSI Controller in the old machine as well that I will also want to move. I know that machines with differing (especially exponentially differing) hardware configurations have driver issues, or won't read HDDs because of motherboard or BIOS configurations. But from my experience, you can do an OS reinstall or repair in order to get HDDs to operate with all their information still intact, after transporting from one machine to another. Has anyone ever tried a OS restore/repair with 2003 server before?

10-03-2007, 05:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 20,399 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Transfering Server HDDs. better than repair / restore run SYSPREP on the OS drive BEFORE you remove the drives from the old system and transplant them into a new server after the transplant is complete, when you boot the server it will redetect all hardware again (like a first time senario) then simply install drivers and motherboard chipset drivers http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...ws+server+2003 __________________ Even a Broken Clock is Right Twice a Day ! Power Supply Selection LEARN TO BACK-UP YOUR DATA FREE & EASY YouTube - Runtime Software DriveImage XML tutorial

10-11-2007, 03:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
stormsavant Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3 OS: Windows Server 2003 for Small Business	Re: Transfering Server HDDs. Hey, thanks for the tip. I did some research in the Sysprep Tool and it seems like it may work. The only issue I am having is that the .cab does not instantiate all the .exe files dependant to run Sysprep. But I managed to run a search in the System32 folder and manually extract them into a new directory. I will update if I have any issues (as nothing, especially when it comes to servers, goes to plan). Last edited by stormsavant; 10-11-2007 at 03:56 PM.