Yes this is a very very bad idea and is not supported. In fact I believe that sysprep will even block in this scenario and not run. While you can build the base Operating System and while it is a member or stand alone server sysprep it and then use that image to build several servers which can then be DC Promoed you can not image an existing DC. If you are running Windows Server 2003 here is what I suggest doing:
1) Create a base OS image of a standalone or member server. 2) Use this image to create the servers that you will use then promote to new DCs. 3) Make a system state backup of the original DC. 4) Use the Install From Media(IFM) option to build the new DC/GCs, see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311078 This is a supported method and should result in an install time that is very close to the unsupported cloning method. Thanks, -Steve -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tom Kern Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 7:56 PM To: activedirectory Subject: Re: [ActiveDir] cloning DC's I went back and i saw B. Shirley's remarks on cloning dc's. I'm wondering if this applies to my senario below- cloning a DC with Disk Image and sysprep and creating new DC's that way? Is this very very bad? is there an article or paper explaining why? or anyone care to explain why. or is this ok? thanks. sorry to harp but these AD consultants from IBM want to go this route tomorrow and I'm thinking its not a good idea for some reason but I'd like to be sure before i bring it up. Thanks again On 8/17/05, Tom Kern <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I know i read this thread before but i can't seem to find it. > > we are creating a new forest root and the IBM consultants here created > the first root dc and now they want to clone it using Disk Image and > sysprep to create the other DC's in the root. > > I think i heard this is a bad idea. Am I right? > > I can't seem to find any article on this but I do remember this being > spoken of on the list and I don't remeber what the conculsion was. > > thanks > List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx List archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/ List info : http://www.activedir.org/List.aspx List FAQ : http://www.activedir.org/ListFAQ.aspx List archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/activedir%40mail.activedir.org/
