After being convinced by my friend SW, I decided to move all of my domains to godaddy.com. I have a virtual dedicated server running Windows 2003 server, 3 IPs, etc etc.. for about $40 a month.

I have full control over this machine. I log into it using remote desktop and control DNS as well as IIS, POP and user accounts. It wasnt a simple matter moving my domains and I figured I would spell out my process here for my own sake and possibly yours.

So after getting the virtual server etc setup I needed to install the DNS server. It isnt there by default, so you go into control panel and add/remove programs then select the bottom option Add/Remove Window Components. Then you are going to choose Network Services and then click the details button. DNS is at the top and not selected. Check it and hit OK and then NEXT. Here is the problem. It needs files to install DNS like dnsmgr.dll or something like that. These are on the i386 folder of the windows 2003 installation disk. Yours isnt loaded into your virtual machine. Call Godaddy.com and ask them to place the i386 folder from the Windows 2003 SP1 installation disk on your C:\.

This took about 5 minutes for them to complete for me. Once done you can point the installer at that folder a few times and you will have DNS installed.

So now you pick a domain you want to move over. I picked carolhuber.net to start out with. First create a user called carolhuber. Add them to the users on the machine – nothing special here.

Then go into IIS. delete the default website and create a new one called CarolHuber.net. Its home directory will be C:\websites\localuser\carolhuber (trust me on that one) – if the directory doesnt exist (it shouldnt) then create it. Header file should be carolhuber.net . Allow scripting, executables and write. Right click on it when you are done and click advanced button you should see one header called carolhuber.net add another called www.carolhuber.net port 80 all unassigned.

Start up IIS. While were are on it open services from the administrative tools of Windows, not IIS and find FTP and World Wide Wed Publishing services. Open each and change them to automatically load.

So now web is setup and so is your user. Lets get FTP working Open FTP within IIS and delete any default. Create a new FTP site called root web and point it at C:\websites . Start the FTP service if it isnt already. As a side note this is why you needed the C:\websites\localuser folder. Each user needs a folder of their own. Since I like to use FP and ftp I had to create all websites in this folder.

Now for DNS. Open DNS from administrative tools and add a new forward zone. Call it carolhuber.net and next next next next done.

One time only create a reverse lookup zone for your IP range. new zone under reverse and enter the first 3 octects (portions) of your IP. next next next done.

Back to forward dns. right click carolhuber.net and add a class A with nothing in the top and your IP for the IP. Check the checkbox at the bottom to create the reverse (whatever it says).
Repeat with www in the top box. Be careful although the input box remians, it removes the last portion of your IP address. repeat for ns1,ns2 and ftp

If you are running your own exchange or POP then this is when you would also add MX records of the same. I pointed all of mine back to godaddy.com so I used their settings of:
mailstore1.secureserver.net. 10
smtp.secureserver.net. 0

OK so we are done with that server… Go into C:\websites\localuser\carolhuber and add a default.htm with something in it. I actually setup many domains, so I added a defalt.asp with the code response.write (server.mappath(“./”)) that way I can tell if the path is C:\websites\localuser\carolhuber or jasonhuber or whatever.

SSo go to godaddy and manage your domain. We need to enter the name server files for our domain. There are two steps here to make it work. Open your domain at godaddy and unlock it. back to your main domin management screen and all the way the bottom on the left you can add DNS. Enter ns1 (.carolhuber.net is already there) and the IP of your server (same IP everywhere)
Repeat for ns2.

Wait a minute or two and then click nameserver option at the top of the domain management screen.

Erase whatever is there (probably ns1.secureserver.com etc) and place ns1.carolhuber.net and ns2.carolhuber.net in its place. save. It should verify. It there is a problem recheck two paragraphs up. If it still turns red then go into your server and open a command prompt:

nslookup ns1.carolhuber.net 127.0.0.1

you should see two sets of two lines the bottom telling you ns1.carolhuber.net corresponds to your IP you have been putting everywhere. If not recheck the DNS paragraph.

I think that is it. I will update as I continue through my domains and find flaws in my instructions..

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