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Migrating Server 2022 FRS domain to DFS after doing in-place upgrade from Server 2016

Washington, Candace N 20 Reputation points
2026-04-27T15:51:14.6466667+00:00

Our current environment has been having group policy replication issues and I theorize that it may be because our system is using FRS even though our DCs are Server 2022. I have read that Server 2022 requires DFS, but I think the reason why we're able to have somewhat functioning Server 2022 DCs while still using FRS is because we did an in-place upgrade from Server 2016 to Server 2022. This seems to be confirmed in this article: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/sysvol-dfsr-migration-fails-after-in-place-upgrade?source=recommendations. According to this article, in order to successfully migrate using the proposed workaround, I would need to have at least one Server 2016 DC. We only have two DCs and they're both Server 2022. I've been advised to reach out to request next steps as this is a production environment and I'd like to not wreck our environment further.

Windows for business | Windows Server | Devices and deployment | Set up, install, or upgrade
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  1. Jason Nguyen Tran 17,025 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-04-27T16:39:46.1433333+00:00

    Hi Washington, Candace N,

    Based on my understanding, you are correct that Server 2022 domain controllers should be using DFS Replication (DFSR) for SYSVOL, but in‑place upgrades from Server 2016 can leave FRS in place. The article you referenced highlights that the migration process normally requires at least one Server 2016 DC to complete the transition. Since you only have Server 2022 DCs, the workaround is more limited.

    The supported path forward is to verify whether SYSVOL is still using FRS by running the dfsrmig command. If it shows that you are still in the pre‑migration state, you will need to carefully plan a migration to DFSR. Without a 2016 DC, the safest approach is to build a temporary domain controller on Server 2016, join it to the domain, and then perform the migration steps. Once DFSR is fully in place, you can decommission the temporary DC.

    If building a 2016 DC is not possible, the alternative is to consider a domain rebuild or to engage Microsoft Support for direct assistance, as forcing migration without a supported DC version can risk SYSVOL replication integrity. In production environments, we strongly recommend involving support to avoid data loss.

    In short, you’ll need either a temporary 2016 DC to complete the migration or direct support engagement to guide you through a safe transition.

    I hope the response provided some helpful insight. If it addressed your issue, please consider marking it as Accept Answer so others facing the same problem can easily find the solution. If you need any further assistance, feel free to leave a comment.

    Jason.

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