How to Move One or More Zone Files to a New Windows NT DNS Server

ID: Q172221

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article discusses the steps involved when moving the zone files from one Windows NT 4.0 Domain Name Service (DNS) server to another Windows NT 4.0 DNS server.


MORE INFORMATION

When you use the Microsoft DNS server, you have the option of starting the service using a boot file or using information that is stored in the registry. Use the appropriate section below:

Starting DNS Using a Boot File

When you use a boot file to start your DNS server, follow these steps to move your zone file(s) from one Windows NT DNS server to another Windows NT DNS server:

NOTE: The following steps assume that you have installed the Microsoft DNS server service on the new Windows NT-based server and have not configured any information for it.
  1. From Services in Control Panel, stop the Microsoft DNS server on both Windows NT DNS servers.


  2. Manually copy the entire contents (subfolders included) of the %Systemroot%\System32\DNS folder from the source server to the destination server.


  3. Restart the Microsoft DNS server on the new Windows NT DNS server.


Starting DNS Using the Registry

When you are moving a single zone file, follow these steps:

  1. From Services in Control Panel, stop the Microsoft DNS server on both Windows NT DNS servers.


  2. From the source DNS server, copy the desired zone file <zone name>.dns from the following folder: 
    
      %Systemroot%\System32\DNS

    to the same folder on the destination Windows NT DNS server.


  3. Create the new zone on the destination server using the DNS Service Manager. Configure the zone as it was configured on the source server, either as a Primary or Secondary zone. The new zone must be created using the same zone file name as the original file.

    For example, if Sample.com.dns was the original file copied from the source server to the destination server, Sample.com.dns must be the name of the new file.


  4. Restart the Microsoft DNS Server on the new Windows NT DNS server.


When you are moving multiple zone files, follow these steps:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

Perform steps 1 and 2 on the destination Windows NT DNS server only:
  1. Using the DNS Manager create a sample primary zone, Sample.com. Creating the sample zone ensures that the DNS server boot file information has been written to the registry and the DNS server knows where the cache information is located.


  2. Using DNS Manager, delete the sample zone that you created in step 1.


  3. From Services in Control Panel, stop the Microsoft DNS server on both Windows NT DNS servers.


  4. From the source DNS server, copy the desired zone file <zone name>.dns from the following folder: 
    
      %Systemroot%\System32\DNS

    to the same folder on the destination Windows NT DNS.

    Perform steps 5 through 8 on the source server only:


  5. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).


  6. Go to the following subkey: 
    
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS


  7. Click Zones, click Registry, and click Save Key.


  8. Save this key to a location from where you can restore it to the destination server and close Registry Editor.

    Perform steps 9 through 14 on the destination server only:


  9. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).


  10. Go to the following subkey: 
    
       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS


  11. Click Zones to verify that it is selected, click Registry, and click Restore.


  12. Locate the registry key file that you exported in step 8.


  13. Click Yes to the confirmation dialog and close Registry Editor.


  14. Restart the Microsoft DNS Server on the new NT DNS server.


NOTE: The information transferred in the registry key maintains the names of the zones and keeps you from re-creating the zone names in the DNS Manager for every zone file that was copied.

Additional query words: 


Keywords          : kbnetwork nthowto ntnetserv nttcp NTSrv 
Version           : winnt:4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbhowto kbinfo

Last Reviewed: May 12, 1999