To migrate a Windows 2003 DHCP Server, the first thing that you must do is to stop, and then disable the DHCP service. Of course this means that clients will not be able to use the DHCP server to obtain IP addresses until the process is complete.  You must then copy the server’s \%systemroot%\system32\DHCP folder to a safe location that you can use later on. After doing so, you should remove this folder from the original server.

Next, you will have to do some work through the Registry Editor. As always, when you are working with the Registry Editor, you should make a backup first, because making an incorrect change can destroy Windows. With that said, navigate through the Registry Editor to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DHCPServer\Configuration. Now, choose the Save Key command from the editor’s Registry menu, and export the registry key to a safe location. When you are done, you can uninstall the Add / Remove Windows Components Wizard to uninstall the DHCP server component.

Restoring a DHCP Server Backup in Windows Server 2003

Before you can restore your DHCP server backup, you must install the DHCP server component onto the new server, but after doing so, you must stop and temporarily disable the DHCP service. Now, check the backup directory that you created earlier for a file named system.mdb. If this file exists, rename it to system.src. You may now copy all of the files from the backup directory to the new server’s %systemroot%\system32\DHCP folder.

Now you have to restore the backup copy of the registry that you created earlier. To do so, open the Registry Editor and navigate through the registry tree to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DHCPServer\Configuration. Choose the Restore command from the editor’s Registry menu, and then restore the registry backup file that you created earlier.  When you are done, close the Registry Editor, reboot the machine, and then enable and start the DHCP service.

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