Microsoft Windows Server

Step By Step Migrate Active Directory Server 2012 to Server 2016.

In this blog, I will be able to migrate our existing Active Directory Domain Controller which is Windows Server 2012 (Server2012) to Windows Server 2016 (Server2016).

My active directory domain controller Server (xpertstec.local).

Additional Domain Controller Windows Server 2016.

How to Create an Additional Domain Controller (ADC) In Windows Server 2016 so, click here

1- After Restarting the Server2016. So, login as Domain Administrator.

windows server login

2- Type the Netdom query fsmo command, to see which server has installed FSMO roles.

netdom query fsmo command

Now we’d like to Migrating FSMO (Flexible Single Master Operation) roles to Windows Server 2016 (Server2016).

Migrate Active Directory Server 2012 to Server 2016

3- On the Server2016, open Active Directory Users and Computers and right click domain xpertstec.local and then click on Operations Masters.

active directory 2016 operations master

4- On the Operations Masters and select the RID tab and then choose the Change button.

server 2016 operations master rid

5- Now click Yes.

active directory 2016 operations master role

6- The operations master role was successfully transferred so, click on ok.

active director 2016 operations master roles

7- Now you can verify that Operation master role now transferred to our new Server SRV2016.xpertstec.local

active director 2016 operations master rid

8- On the Operations Masters and select the PDC tab and then choose the change button.

active director 2016 operations master pdc

9- Then click Yes.

active director 2016 transfer role

10- The operations master role was successfully transferred and then click on ok.

active director 2016 operations master transferred

11- Now you verify that the Operation master role now transferred to our new Server SRV2016.xpertstec.local

active director 2016 operations master pdc

12- On the Operations Masters and select the Infrastructure tab and then choose the change button.

active director 2016 operations master infrastructure

13- Then click Yes.

active director 2016 transfer role

14- The operations master role was successfully transferred so, click on ok.

active director 2016 operations master transferred

15- Verify that Operation master role now transferred to our new Server SRV2016.xpertstec.local

active director 2016 operations master infrastructure

16- Open Server Manager and select the Tools tab and then click on Active Directory Domains and Trusts.

windows server 2016 dashboard tools

Change Active Directory Domain Controller

17- Right click Active Directory Domains and Trusts and then choose to change the active directory domain controller.

domains and trusts operation master server 2016

18- Select this Domain Controller or AD LDS Instance and click on the domain controller that you simply want to be the schema master role and then click on ok.

change directory server server 2016

19- Right click Active Directory Domains and Trusts and then choose Operations Master.

domains and trusts operation master server 2016

20- Now select Change.

server 2016 domain naming operations master

21- Click on YES.

domains and trusts role transfer

22- The operations master was successfully transferred so click on ok.

domains and trusts roles transferred

23- Confirmed the domain naming operation master role and then click on Close.

domain naming operations master

24- Now we’d like to move our Schema Master role, so we’d like to register the schmmgmt.dll open prompt and then run the command below.

regsvr32 C:\Windows\System32\schmmgmt.dll

schmmgmt.dll command

25- the method was completed successfully and then click on ok.

regsvr32 server 2016

26- Open Microsoft Management Console and open prompt and type mmc and then hit enter.

mmc command

27- Now click on File tab and then choose Add/Remove Snap-in

server 2016 add remove snap-in

28- From the left side and under Available Snap-ins and select Active Directory Schema and then click Add and click on ok.

server 2016 add remove snap-in

29- Right click Active Directory Schema and then choose Change Active Directory Domain Controller to migrate active directory

server 2016 console root

30- Select this Domain Controller or AD LDS Instance and click on the domain controller that you simply want to be the schema master role and then click on ok.

change directory server server 2016

31- Click OK.

change directory schema snap-in

Change Schema Master Role

32- Within the console1 and right click Active Directory Schema (SRV2016.xpertstec.local) and then choose Operations Master.

change directory schema operations master

33- Click Change.

change directory change schema

34- Click on Yes.

change directory change schema master

35- Operations Master successfully transferred and then click on ok.

change directory schema master

36- Now you can confirm your current schema master which is Server2016.

change directory change schema 2016

37- Now run the Netdom query fsmo command so, we will now see that our roles are transferred to our Windows Server 2016 Additional Domain Controller.

netdom query fsmo command

Remove the Server2012 from Global Catalog.

On Server2016 open Active Directory Sites and Services.

38- Expand your Sites and expand the Default-first-site-name and expand the Servers and then expand local domain Server2012 and right click NTDS Settings and then choose Properties.

server 2016 sites and services

39- Under the general tab uncheck Global Catalog and then click on ok.

server 2016 global catalog

Demote Active Directory Domain Controller using the instruction or step by step demote active directory domain in window server 2012.

Follow the below steps (40 to 49).

Uninstalling Active Directory Domain Services from Server2012.

Log in to Server2012 machine with domain administrator credentials.

40- Open Windows PowerShell with elevated privileges and then type the command.

Uninstall-ADDSDomainController -DemoteOperationMasterRole –RemoveApplicationPartition

uninstall addsdomaincontroller powershell command

41- Type your local administrator password and then press enter.

demote domain controller powershell server 2016

42- Type Y and then hit Enter.

demote domain controller powershell command

43- The operation is going to be completed during a jiffy and therefore the server is going to be rebooted automatically

demote domain controller powershell server 2016

Upgrading Forest Functional Levels and Domain Functional Levels to Windows Server 2016.

44- Login to Windows Server 2016 domain controller and Open PowerShell type below command to vary domain functional level.

Set-ADDomainMode –identity yourdomain.com –DomainMode Windows2016Domain

The domain name is xpertstec.local

Set-ADDomainMode –identity xpertstec.local –DomainMode Windows2016Domain 

Press Enter

set-addomainmode powershell command
set-addomainmode confirmed

46- Login to Windows Server 2016 domain controller and then Open PowerShell type below command to vary forest functional local.

Set-ADForestMode –identity yourdomain.com –ForestMode Windows2016Forest 

The domain name is xpertstec.local

Set-ADForestMode –identity xpertstec.local –ForestMode Windows2016Forest 

Press Enter.

set-adforestdode powershell command
set-adforestdode confirm

48- Now the final step is to confirm if domain and forest functional levels have really been changed. Execute command,

Get-ADDomain | fl Name, DomainMode

Get-ADForest | fl Name, ForestMode

get ad domain ad forest powershell command

49- Step by step remove the active directory domain in window server 2012. Open Server Manager and select Dashboard and select Manage and then select to Remove Roles and features.

server manager 2016

50- Click Next.

remove roles and features wizard server 2012

51- Select a Server from the server pole and then click on next.

roles and features select destination server

52- Now Uncheck DNS Server role.

roles and features select server roles

53- Remove features that need the DNS server, select Remove Features.

remove features that required

54- Uncheck Active Directory Domain Services box.

remove roles and features server roles

55- Remove features that need Active Directory Domain Services, select Remove Features.

remove features that required for active directory

56- Select Demote this domain controller.

demote this domain controller validation results

57- Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard, click Next.

demote this domain controller credentials

58- Check Proceed with removal and click on next.

demote this domain controller warnings

59- Type the Active Directory domain controller password and click on next.

demote this domain controller administrator password

60- Remove Active Directory Domain Services from this computer. Select the Demote button.

demote this domain controller review options

61- Demoting Active Directory Domain Controller server 2012 ongoing.

demote this domain controller demotion progress

62- After restarting server2012 please join it to the workgroup.

For more information click here

Jamil Parvez

Jamil Pervez works as a Network Administrator, based in Kuwait with a Primary focus on Microsoft technologies. Microsoft Certified MCSE, MCTP, MCITP, CCNP, CCIP, CCVP with 20 years of experience in administering Windows Servers, Exchange, VMWare, Veeam B&R, Veritas BackupExec.

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