Developer Forum

iser this a valid domain name for windows 2003 active directory

company_hq

I am doing a migration and this company's internal nt domain name is
company_hq

It is technically valid (legal) but a TERRIBLE CHOICE.


It is best to RENAME that "_" out of there NOW while
you can in NT.

Technically since DNS now supports Unicode you can
probably use the underscore but don't.

Alphabetic first character, alphanumeric ONLY for
up to 14 characters total (per tag.)

Note: The above is MORE restrictive than the rules
require but it is the RIGHT thing to do if you want to
avoid unnecessary trouble.

Whether you rename it or not, convert it to DNS by
adding (at least one) a suffix....

Make the AD name BASED UPON it, so that you end
up with (something like) companyhq.com, companyhq.local,
corp.companyhq.com

--
Herb Martin

do have any docs on how to do that? will this cause any issues with users
losing access to their folders etc?

Herb is definitely correct.

It would be better that take _ out of the domain name. You can rename the
domain by using netdom. Please take a look at the following article:

Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Domain Rename Tools

http://www.yqcomputer.com/

HTH!


Best regards,

Rebecca Chen

MCSE2000 MCDBA CCNA


Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

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He is still on NT -- he needs to rename the domain
NOW, before he upgrades to AD.

He needs to find and follow the NT 4 domain rename
procedure. (It's somewhere in Technet/KB/support.)

Here's an article on renaming NT domains:
Renaming a Domain: Process and Side Effects
http://www.yqcomputer.com/

Here's a search that will find others, Google:

[ rename domain pdc bdc "windows NT" site:microsoft.com -dns -ad ]

--
Herb Martin




rights.

Oh, thus, the KB you have provide will do the deal. :)

Best regards,

Rebecca Chen

MCSE2000 MCDBA CCNA


Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

=====================================================

When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.

=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.