degrading server to client

[ameobs]

Hi.
I am trying to degrade our old proliant 800 server to a normal domain client running win2000 pro. The server is running NT Server 4.0 now. What must I take into consideration when doing this. Will the network card inside work? The card didn't seem to have a driver for win2000 on the Compaq homepage. I have more netw card laying around so installing a new one is no problem.
Do any of you have any experience with downgrading a server to client? Please let me know of known/unknown problems before I start.

[Gert Luyten]

The answer is not related to Compaq hardware only.
As long as your W2KPro supports the hardware inside the PL800, you can install it.
You can always check the Hardware Compatibility List website on www.microsoft.com/hcl.
In my experience, any Compaq PL server is either native supported by W2K or has drivers for it's specific hardware. Specifically, your NIC will work with W2K.
Remember, the complete Microsoft worldwide environment runs on Compaq/HP machines :-).

[Kevin Feng]

In my opinion, a server is more powerful than a client anytime, even though it's functions may be taken over by newer server machines, the servers are worth their every cent.

With regards to your network card issue, there should be no problem to use the same driver (that came with Win 2000 server) for Win2000 professional.

Generally I feel that you could use the server as a backup server... Ever considered fault-tolerance? Downgrading I feel is wasteful.

[ameobs]

Thanks so far, but I guess tha main problem is that I have difficulties changing the server from being a domain controller to a client. The machine is now physically connected to the network but is not part of the domain. This gets a bit tiresome after a while.

[Frans Brouwer]

if your domain controller (win2k) runs both modes it should have no problem to except the windows nt 4 server as a member, but it is not active directory enabled, so reinstalling a win2k workstation is far more logical, get rid of the nt 4 system.