Forum Discussion
Updating File Server OS Best Practice
Give us a bit more info.
Is this a VM or physical? Is the file share on a dedicated drive or the same as the OS?
Let's say if a VM and on a dedicated drive such as "S".
I would build a new 2022 server. Export share info from registry from the old server. (Link provided below.) Then move that S drive from the old VM to the new VM and inport the registry info. You can rename the server to the old server's name or create an CNAME (alias) in DNS, either way original links will work. Down time should be about between 5 - 10 mins.
Did this a few months ago, none of the clients were able to tell anything was changed.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/networking/saving-restoring-existing-windows-shares
You should look into Storage Migration Services - it's built-in in Windows Server 2022, and used together with Windows Admin Center, will do the migration job for you - you can still configure everything manually if you wish, but that's a waste of time.
I would avoid reattach an existing disk to a new server - it means you'll also transfer potentially bad configuration with it (partitioning, file system, etc...).
Alban1998 These services worked great on newer servers that didn't throw a fit on getting connected, but on the 2008 R2 server with all the prerequisites and updates it wouldn't connect as it kept saying it needed FW 5, when it had 5.1. I built a few 2008 R2 Enterprise servers and updated each of them on and off the domain, different networks, and each time it did the same thing. While it seems like it would be a great tool for the job, moving the disk to the new VM worked great, no issues I have found, and it was quick. I am sure migrating TBs of data would take much longer than moving the disk.
Still a great tool and suggestion. Thank you!