Having a Custom Support Agreement (CSA) with Microsoft will give you the advantage for security updates for still used OS versions in your company that are out of support, as Windows XP for example. Of course this service is not for free and you have to pay for it.

If you have that agreement then you will be able to download the released updates from the Microsoft support page and can import them into your WSUS server and if required also add them into the System Center Configuration Manager.

In this article I will stick to the WSUS part itself, for System Center Configuration Manager I add some links at the end of this article, so you can follow them about required steps.

Having the agreement Microsoft will provide you the required tool, please do NOT ask me to give it to you, so you can import the CSA Updates. It is called WSUSImporttool.exe.

The tool must be used on the WSUS Server itself. Working with the tool requires a folder structure on the Server where the .cab file and the update files are stored. You may also create a working directory if you are not sure about the temp folder availability. For already used updates you can configure an archive but this is not a must for the WSUSImporttool.exe to work.

So basically this may look as shown here:

Microsoft will user the folder “Payload” for the update files, “ScanCab” for the catalog file, .cab, and “WorkingDir” if “TEMP” is not used. “_Archive” is created for already imported updates and is not required from the WSUSImporttool.

Inside the folders you will place the downloaded files from the Microsoft web site. The update files:

And the .CAB file.

The working directory will be empty.

With that preparation you can start importing the file with WSUSImporttool.exe.

The used syntax description is as follows:

WSUSImporttool.exe <WsusScan cab Location> <Payload Directory> [Working Directory]

So within my used folder structure from above it will be.

If you choose ENTER the following output will be displayed.

After a while, depending on the used Server hardware it will display this output. There may be, also shown here, an entry about missing files.

This may happen if the updates are not available yet and will be delivered later from Microsoft. So then you just have to wait and check the web site for the download files and import them later.

During the import from the updates the server will use high CPU for the sqlserver.exe for longer time, don’t worry about this, it should stop after importing. In my machine with Windows Server 2008 R2 it was roundabout 10-15 minutes for the above listed 13 updates.

There also will be a re-synchronization from the WSUS to the Microsoft download servers at the end of the process, so also nothing to care about. It will not again download all already existing updates; this just seems to compare the downloaded files with existing ones.

At the end the updates are shown in the WSUS Server as you already know in the unapproved updates view. You can identify them easy as CUSTOM SUPPORT is added at the end of the update name.

You will also see a Product group listed in the WSUS Server but I think that this is just created during the import process and will not download any files. But I have activated the option to control this and will update the article if it works.

If the sqlserver.exe will not stop using high CPU then you may run the “WsusDBMaintenance” (http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/6f8cde49-5c52-4abd-9820-f1d270ddea61) script within the SQL Server Management Studio or with sqlcmd, which must be installed/used on the WSUS Server.

Additional information:

http://kammaninfo.wordpress.com/category/microsoft/windows/windows-server-2012/

http://chadstech.net/microsoft-csa-patches/

!!!NEVER START BEFORE HAVING CREATED AND TESTED A BACKUP OF YOUR DOMAIN/DATA/MACHINE!!!

A new OS Domain Controller installation should always start with the support tools, to check the Domain and Domain Controllers for errors that must be resolved before. The following command line tools and programs will help you to verify if some problems exist within your Domain and the Domain Controllers.

Dcdiag /v /c /d /e /s:DCName >c:\dcdiag.log [please replace DCName with your Domain Controller name]

Repadmin /showrepl dc* /verbose /all /intersite >c:\repl.log [“dc* is a place holder for the starting name of the DCs if they all begin the same (if more than one DC exists)]

Dnslint /ad /s “DCipaddress” [use http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321045 for download and instructions]

ADREPLSTATUS: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30005

——————————————-

On the old server open DNS management console and check that you are running Active directory integrated zones, which is recommended also from Microsoft.

——————————————-

The schema must be updated for the new OS Domain Controller, so even if the update is done automatically you may check it before. Therefore you can use the following command:

“Dsquery * cn=schema,cn=configuration,dc=domain,dc=local -scope base -attr objectVersion” without the quotes in a command prompt [please replace “dc=domain,dc=local” with your Domain Name]. The output number is the Schema objectVersion:

13 = Windows 2000 Server

30 = Windows Server 2003

31 = Windows Server 2003 R2

44 = Windows Server 2008

47 = Windows Server 2008 R2

56 = Windows Server 2012

69 = Windows Server 2012 R2

——————————————–

If the first installed Domain Controller in the domain should be removed or replaced with another one, doesn’t matter if new or same OS version, assure that you export the recovery agents EFS certificate private key from the Domain Controller BEFORE you demote/retire it. Details on how to do this are listed in (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/241201) and (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755157(WS.10).aspx). If you don’t save it, you will not be able to encrypt data in case of problems.

——————————————–

I recommend installing the new machine as a member server in your existing domain before promoting to Domain Controller. Configure a fixed ip address and set the preferred DNS server to one existing DC/DNS server only. Do not change anything with IPv6, as also recommended from Microsoft in http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.07.cableguy.aspx
Do NOT use the new server as DNS server on the NIC until all DNS information is replicated from one existing DC/DNS. If you do it with other DNS servers on the NIC I often have seen that the SYSVOL and NETLOGON shares are not correct created.

——————————————–

To install a new OS Domain Controller running adprep is required and it is located in the Windows server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 installation disk …\support\adprep folder. Here you can also find the schema files. You will realize that there is ONLY adprep.exe and not adprep32.exe anymore. This belongs to the reason that adprep process on earlier OS domains is done automatically during promotion to a Domain Controller.

If you run adprep.exe on 32bit OS Domain Controllers you will see an error message:

 

——————————————–

The minimum functional level must be at least Windows Server 2003, so NO lower functional levels are allowed anymore.

Please control that the Domain functional level is set to Windows Server 2003, in AD Domains and Trusts right click the “Domain Name”.

 

Also control that the Forest functional level is set to Windows Server 2003, in AD Domains and Trusts right click “Active Directory Domains and Trusts”.

——————————————–

If you run as known before DCPROMO on a new Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 you will get an error message, as this is not longer the way to promote a DC. Now the promotion to Domain Controller is done via Server Manager.

——————————————–

Assure to use an account that is member of the Enterprise Admins and install the new Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 as Domain Member Server if not done already. Now start the Server Manager and choose “Add roles and features”, in “Before you begin” click next, in the “Installation Type” use “Role-based or feature-based installation” and click Next.

Choose the required Server and click Next.

Now check the Active Directory Domain Services and in the upcoming window click the “Add features” button.

Choose Next and add additional features if required.

Click Next.

Click Next and then choose Install.

It may take some time, depending on the hardware.

If the installation is done be aware of the “Promote this server to a domain controller” option in the result pane.

Again a new window opens to configure the DC with all requirements.

Here choose Change and provide the domain credentials or use the already shown account.

Select the domain from the list and click OK. Click Next.

The Domain controller Options appear and here choose DNS and GC and fill in the DSRM Restore mode password. Also see the Information on top in the yellow line (here already shown as pop up in the left down corner) and then choose Next.

In this step the DNS delegation warning can be ignored, as the Domain Controller is for the already existing domain.

Choose Next and either use the default or select a preferred DC to replicate from. Even IFM (Install from media) is possible at this step.

Do NOT store the Active Directory database, log files, or SYSVOL on a data volume formatted with Resilient File System (ReFS), this is new with Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2. Database, Log file and SYSVOL folder paths must be stored on NTFS data volumes in this window and then choose Next.

Information about forest, schema and domain update is shown where you also choose Next.

Review your settings, even possible to export as Windows PowerShell script for future use, and click Next.

Prerequisite checks will be done.

Review the Check and click Install.

Results are listed/shown.

The server will automatically reboot after installation/promotion.

——————————————–

After adding a Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 Domain Controller to an existing domain you should also transfer the FSMO roles to the Domain Controller with the newest OS version.

In this case up to 10 new security groups are created/shown in the BUILTIN container in AD UC:

• Access Control Assistance Operators
• Certificate Service DCOM Access
• Cryptographic Operators
• Event Log Readers
• Hyper-V Administrators
• IIS_IUSRS
• RDS Endpoint Servers
• RDS Management Servers
• RDS Remote Access Servers
• Remote Management Users

And up to 6 new security group in the Users container in AD UC:

• Allowed RODC Password Replication Group
• Cloneable Domain Controllers
• Denied RODC Password Replication Group
• Enterprise Read-Only Domain Controllers
• Protected Users
• Read-Only Domain Controllers

——————————————–

You can see in the event viewer (Directory service log) that the FSMO roles are transferred, EVENT ID 1458 with the source ActiveDirectory_DomainService for each FSMO role.

——————————————–

After the transfer from the PDCEmulator FSMO it is required to reconfigure the time service on the old and new PDCEmulator, so a recommended external time source is used:

“w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:PEERS /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update”

where PEERS will be filled with the ip address or server name (time.windows.com) and on the OLD PDCEmulator run:

“w32tm /config /syncfromflags:domhier /reliable:no /update”

and stop/start the time service on the old one. All commands run in an elevated command prompt without the quotes.

——————————————–

If not done on earlier OS version upgrades ONLY the adprep /domainprep /gpprep, to enable the RSOP planning mode, should be run manual as this is NOT involved in the automated process.

——————————————–

Reconfigure the DNS configuration on your NIC of the Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 machine, preferred DNS to a partner DNS Server, secondary to its own ip address and as recommended from DNS BPA the loopback ip address(127.0.0.1) as 3^rd entry.

——————————————–

Related documents:

Adprep in Windows Server 2012 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh472161.aspx

View and transfer from FSMO Roles http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324801 this article still applies for Windows Server 2012 and higher.

Time configuration in a domain http://msmvps.com/blogs/mweber/archive/2010/06/27/time-configuration-in-a-windows-domain.aspx

ReFS in Windows Server 2012 http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/01/16/building-the-next-generation-file-system-for-windows-refs.aspx

!!!NEVER START BEFORE HAVING CREATED AND TESTED A BACKUP OF YOUR DOMAIN/DATA/MACHINE!!!

A new OS Domain Controller installation should always start with use from the support tools to check the Domain and Domain Controllers for errors that must be resolved before. The following command line tools and programs will help you to verify if some problems exist within your Domain and the Domain Controllers.

Dcdiag /v /c /d /e /s:DCName >c:\dcdiag.log [please replace DCName with your Domain Controller name]

Repadmin /showrepl dc* /verbose /all /intersite >c:\repl.log [“dc* is a place holder for the starting name of the DCs if they all begin the same (if more than one DC exists)]

Dnslint /ad /s “DCipaddress” [use http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321045 for download and instructions]

ADREPLSTATUS: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30005

——————————————–

On the old server open DNS management console and check that you are running Active directory integrated zones, which is recommended also from Microsoft.

——————————————–

The Schema must be updated for the new OS Domain Controller, so even if the update is done automatically you may check it before. Therefore you can use the following command:

“Dsquery * cn=schema,cn=configuration,dc=domain,dc=local -scope base -attr objectVersion” without the quotes in a command prompt [please replace “dc=domain,dc=local” with your Domain Name]. The output number is the Schema objectVersion:

13 = Windows 2000 Server

30 = Windows Server 2003

31 = Windows Server 2003 R2

44 = Windows Server 2008

47 = Windows Server 2008 R2

56 = Windows Server 2012

69 = Windows Server 2012 R2

——————————————–

If the first installed Domain Controller in the domain should be removed or replaced with another one, doesn’t matter if new or same OS version, assure that you export the recovery agents EFS certificate private key from the Domain Controller BEFORE you demote/retire it. Details on how to do this are listed in (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/241201) and (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755157(WS.10).aspx). If you don’t save it, you will not be able to encrypt data in case of problems.

——————————————–

I recommend installing the new machine as a member server in your existing domain before promoting to Domain Controller. Configure a fixed ip address and set the preferred DNS server to one existing DC/DNS server only. Do not change anything with IPv6, as also recommended from Microsoft in http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.07.cableguy.aspx
Do NOT use the new server as DNS server on the NIC until all DNS information is replicated from one existing DC/DNS. If you do it with other DNS servers on the NIC I often have seen that the SYSVOL and NETLOGON shares are not correct created.

——————————————–

As this article applies in most steps to Windows Server 2008 32bit/64bit and Windows Server 2008 R2, I’ll start with the difference on Windows Server 2008 32bit preparation.

To install a new OS Domain Controller adprep is required and located in the Windows server 2012 or Windows server 2012 R2 installation disk …\support\adprep folder. Here you can also find the schema files. You will realize that there is ONLY adprep.exe and not adprep32.exe anymore. This belongs to the reason that adprep process on earlier OS domains is done automatically during promotion to DC.

If you run adprep.exe on the 32bit OS Domain Controller you will see an error message:

So on Windows Server 2008 32bit you have to prepare the forest/domain with the new way remote from Windows Server 2012 or Windows server 2012 R2.

With the 64bit version from adprep you can still work on Windows Server 2008 64bit and Windows Server 2008 R2 DCs for the Schema update.

So both options are possible, from the command line on Windows Server 2008 R2 or during promotion process from the Windows Server 2012 or Windows server 2012 R2.

——————————————–

The minimum functional level must be at least Windows Server 2003, so NO lower functional levels are allowed anymore.

Please control that the Domain functional level is set to Windows Server 2003, in AD Domains and Trusts right click the “Domain Name”.

Also control that the Forest functional level is set to Windows Server 2003, in AD Domains and Trusts right click “Active Directory Domains and Trusts”.

——————————————–

If you run as known before DCPROMO on a new Windows Server 2012 or Windows server 2012 R2 you will get an error message as this is not longer the way to promote a DC. Now the promotion to Domain Controller is done via Server Manager.

——————————————–

In this article I will focus on the new remote way with using the Windows Server 2012 or Windows server 2012 R2, as this is much more error free and comfortable to use.

Assure to use an account that is member of the Enterprise Admins and install the new Windows Server 2012 or Windows server 2012 R2 as Domain Member Server if not done already. Now start the Server Manager and choose “Add roles and features”, in “Before you begin” click next, in the “Installation Type” use “Role-based or feature-based installation” and click Next.

Choose the required Server and click Next

Now check the Active Directory Domain Services and in the upcoming window click the “Add features” button.

Choose Next and add additional features if required.

Click Next.

Click Next and then choose Install.

It may take some time, depending on the hardware.

If the installation is done be aware of the “Promote this server to a domain controller” option in the result pane

Again a new window opens to configure the DC with all requirements

Here choose Select and provide the domain credentials or use the already shown account. If you have the need using a smart card, then the server MUST be joined to the domain BEFORE.

Select the domain from the list and click OK.

Click Next.

The Domain controller Options appear and here choose DNS and GC and fill in the DSRM Restore mode password. Then choose Next.

In this step the DNS delegation warning can be ignored, as the Domain Controller is for the already existing domain.

Choose Next and either use the default or select a preferred DC to replicate from. Even IFM (Install from media) is possible at this step.

Do NOT store the Active Directory database, log files, or SYSVOL on a data volume formatted with Resilient File System (ReFS), this is new with Windows Server 2012 or Windows server 2012 R2 Database, Log file and SYSVOL folder paths must be stored on NTFS data volumes in this window and then choose Next.

Information about forest, schema and domain update is shown where you also choose Next.

Review your settings, even possible to export as Windows PowerShell script for future use and click Next.

Prerequisite checks will be done.

Review the Check and click Install.

Results are listed/shown

The server automatically reboots after installation/promotion.

——————————————–

After adding a Windows Server 2012 or Windows server 2012 R2 Domain Controller to an existing domain you should also transfer the FSMO roles to the newest Domain Controller

In this case 6 new security groups are created in the BUILTIN container in AD UC:

– Access Control Assistance Operators

– Hyper-V Administrators

– RDS Endpoint Servers

– RDS Management Servers

– RDS Remote Access Servers

– Remote Management Users

And 1 new security group in the Users container in AD UC:

– Cloneable Domain Controllers

——————————————–

You can see in the event viewer (Directory service log) that the FSMO roles are transferred, EVENT ID 1458 with the source ActiveDirectory_DomainService for each FSMO role.

——————————————–

After the transfer from the PDCEmulator FSMO it is required to reconfigure the time service on the old and new PDCEmulator, so a recommended external time source is used:

“w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:PEERS /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update”

where PEERS will be filled with the ip address or server (time.windows.com) and on the OLD PDCEmulator run:

“w32tm /config /syncfromflags:domhier /reliable:no /update”

and stop/start the time service on the old one. All commands run in an elevated command prompt without the quotes.

——————————————–

If not done on earlier OS version upgrades run ONLY the adprep /domainprep /gpprep, to enable the RSOP planning mode, manual as this is NOT involved in the automated process.

——————————————–

Reconfigure the DNS configuration on your NIC of the Windows Server 2012 or Windows server 2012 R2 machine, preferred DNS to a partner DNS Server, secondary to its own ip address and as recommended from DNS BPA the loopback ip address(127.0.0.1) as 3^rd entry.

——————————————–

Related documents:

Adprep in Windows Server 2012 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh472161.aspx

View and transfer from FSMO Roles http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324801 this article still applies for Windows Server 2012.

Time configuration in a domain http://msmvps.com/blogs/mweber/archive/2010/06/27/time-configuration-in-a-windows-domain.aspx

ReFS in Windows Server 2012 http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/01/16/building-the-next-generation-file-system-for-windows-refs.aspx

!!!This article is under review!!!

 

The latest ADMT version 3.2 and the Password Export Server (PES) as 32 and 64 bit version could be downloaded under the following Link.

ADMT 3.2 and PES 32 and 64 bit

Login with your Microsoft Account may be required.

When you have the need to migrate Windows Domains to a new named Domain or into a different forest, you can use the free Microsoft Active Directory Migration Tool, which exist in multiple versions.

When the source Domain is built with Windows NT4 (at least with SP4 on the PDC), Windows Server 2000 or Windows Server 2003, you have to use ADMT v3 which can migrate to a target Domain installed with Windows Server 2000 or Windows Server 2003.

ADMT v3 can be installed on any computer capable of running the Windows Server 2003 OS.

You can migrate the following OS versions with the ADMT agent:

• Windows NT Server 4.0 (with SP4 or higher)
• Windows 2000 Professional
• Windows 2000 Server
• Windows XP
• Windows Server 2003

For a detailed description and how to use ADMT see the ADMT v3.0 Migration Guide.

————————————————————————————-

When the source Domain is built with Windows Server 2000, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008, you have to use ADMT v3.1 which can migrate to a target Domain installed with Windows Server 2000 or Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2. This version will be the last one that will support Windows Server 2000 source or target Domains or Windows Server 2000 Domain controllers.

ADMT v3.1 can be installed on any computer capable of running the Windows Server 2008 OS, unless they are Read-Only domain controllers (RODCs) or in a Server Core configuration.

You can migrate the following OS versions with the ADMT agent:

• Windows 2000 Professional
• Windows 2000 Server
• Windows XP
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Vista
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2

For a detailed description and how to use ADMT see the ADMT v3.1 and 3.2 Migration Guide.

Additional you maybe need the Password Export Server (PES) version 3.1, either for 32bit or 64bit.

————————————————————————————-

When the source Domain is built with Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008, you have to use ADMT v3.2 which can migrate to a target Domain installed with Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2.

ADMT v3.2 can be installed on any computer capable of running the Windows Server 2008 R2 OS, unless they are Read-Only domain controllers (RODCs) or in a Server Core configuration.

You can migrate the following OS versions with the ADMT agent:

• Windows XP
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Vista
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2

For a detailed description and how to use ADMT see the ADMT v3.1 and 3.2 Migration Guide

Additional you maybe need the Password Export Server (PES) version 3.1 for 64bit.

Here you’ll find some common installation issues from ADMT v3.2 listed from Ned Pyle at “Ask the Directory Services Team”

 

Related Documents about ADMT:

Restructuring Windows NT 4.0 Domains to an Active Directory Forest

Restructuring Active Directory Domains Within a Forest

Restructuring Active Directory Domains Between Forests

Error message when you use ADMT version 3 to migrate computer accounts from one Windows Server 2003 domain to another: “ERR3:7075 Failed to change domain affiliation” KB929493

How to use a SID mapping file with the ADMT tool to perform a resource domain migration to Windows Server 2003 KB835991

Known issues that may occur when you use ADMT 3.1 to migrate to a domain that contains Windows Server 2008 R2 domain controllers KB976659

You cannot uninstall ADMT 3.1 after you perform an in-place upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 KB974625

How To Use Visual Basic Script to Clear SidHistory KB295758