How to migrate file server from 2008 to 2022

I need to move/upgrade our file server.  Currently on 2012 (non R2).  Just want to make sure this is still the best/easiest way since it was posted several years ago. Need to keep share/permissions in tact. 

Can I just.....

-Build new vm

-shutdown old vm

-move virtual disks/attach to new vm

-rename server to old server name/ip. 

Thanks

KB ID 0001201

Problem

When attempting a File Server Migration why isn’t this better publicised? Did you know Microsoft have a set of Migration tools, and one of them is for file servers? Now traditionally I’d use RoboCopy or XCopy to migrate files and folders, and for ‘User Profiles’ I would normally back them up, and restore them to the new server. This is because the file permissions on ‘correctly deployed’ user profiles mean you can’t open them.

How about a tool, that migrates all the files, folders and profiles while maintaining all the NTFS permissions, AND Share permissions!

Windows File Server Migration Tools

Source Server Pre-requisites

• Server 2003: .Net 2.0 (With SP1), and PowerShell 2.0, and 25MB free drive space.
• Server 2008: PowerShell and 25Mb free drive space.
• Server 2008 R2 and Newer: 25Mb free drive space.
• All: UDP port 7000 needs to be open, from source to the destination server.

File Server Migration Server 2008 to Server 2019

File Server Migration from Server 2003!

• Source Server: Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 (x86 supported as well)
• Destination Server: Windows 2012 R2 Data Center 2012 

Source Server: Here you can see my user profiles, I’ll do the migration with them, as usually they are the most ‘challenging’.

You need to create a shared folder on the Source Server, I’ve just granted everyone full control, (this is just for the migration tools).

Destination  Server: Open a PowerShell windows and install the tools with the following command;

Install-WindowsFeature Migration –ComputerName {computer-name}

Open an administrative command window > Now you need to deploy the migrations tools to the share on the destination server, to do that use the following command;

cd C:\Windows\System32\ServerMigrationTools

SmigDeploy.exe /package /architecture amd64 /os WS03 /path \\{Destination-Server}\{folder-name}

Note: For x86 (32 bit) source servers use x86 instead of amd64. WS03 (Windows Server 2003), WS08 (Windows Server 2008), WS08R2 (Windows Server 2008 R2), and WS12 (Windows Server 2012).

Source Server: Open the folder you created earlier and within it you will find another folder that has the tools in. Open an administrative command window and change to this directory > then execute the following command;

Another PowerShell window will open, leave it open, and return to the destination server.

Destination Server: Here I’ve created a folder that I’m going to migrate into.

Destination Server: Open a PowerShell window and issue the following two commands;

add-pssnapin microsoft.windows.servermanager.migration

Receive-SmigServerData

You will be asked to provide a password, (use what you want, but remember it, you will need it in a minute).

You now have a five minute window to get the migration running, or you will need to re-issie the last command again. 

Source Server: Return to your open PowerShell Window, and issue the following command;

Send-SmigServerData -ComputerName {destination-computer-name} -SourcePath {path-to-source-folder} -DestinationPath {path-to-destination-folder} -include all -recurse

Supply the password, then go and put your feet up.

Destination Server: You can watch progress here.

Profiles migrated! And permissions intact.

Don’t forget to change the path to the user profile, on the user(s) user object(s) in Active Directory.

If you have a lot you can do them in bulk by multi-selecting the users.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

XCOPY – Insufficient Memory

Migrating – Folders and Share Permissions