Mixing Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 with x86

[Guest guillaume.leonard]

Greetings,

 

in our company, we have an Active Directory on Windows 2003 Server. Here's what it looks like for now :

 

Two (2) Domain Controllers : Windows 2003 Server x86 (NOT R2)

Active Directory Schema : Windows 2003 Server x86 R2

 

We had a 2003 R2 Domain Controller (DC) before, this is why our AD Schema is now on R2.

 

 

What we want to do now, is add a new DC to the Domain. This DC will be on Windows 2003 Server x64 R2. This is where I have to ask some questions :

 

Is there any known incompatibility with x64 R2 and x86 NON-R2 ? Except the bug in KB919151 of Microsoft, which is "Cannot deplay a Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition-Based domain controller in a Windows Server 2003 forest" ?

 

We do not intend to upgrade our actual DCs (on Windows 2003 x86 NON-R2) to R2. So we're mixing x64 and x86 and also R2 and non R2.

 

Basically, I would like to know if the x64 R2 DC must be the master of the schema since its schema is the most recent one ? If so, an adprep is requiered obviously to upgrade the schema.

Can the x64 R2 be only a DC and NOT the master ? Would a schema upgrade (adprep) of x64 be necessary in that case ?

 

And finally, I heard things about x86 workstations having some issues with x64 servers. Our new server will not only be a DC, but a DNS, WINS, DHCP and File Server.

 

Thanks for any feedbacks,

 

Guillaume L.