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Install Active Directory Services in Windows Server 2008

By Codrut Nistor

Posted in How-to, Windows-server-2008-operating-systems

In any small network setup where there are maximum of 15 computers peer-to-peer network infrastructure is the best solution. However when the number of computers are increased and it becomes practically impossible for the administrators to manage several computers as a peer-to-peer setup installation of Active Directory Services becomes essential. As soon as ADS is installed on Windows server 2008 it gets promoted to the domain controller and becomes capable of handling database of entire network and its objects. As a systems administrator in any LAN environment if you want to promote a Windows server 2008 computer to the domain controller you are required to follow the steps given below:

1.       Logon to Windows server 2008 computer with administrator account.

2.       Make sure that Active Directory Domain Services role is already installed on the computer.

3.       Click on Start button and in the search box type DCPROMO command and press enter key.

4.       On Welcome to Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard page click on Next button.

5.       On Operating System Compatibility page click on Next button.

6.       On the next page choose Create a new domain in a new forest radio button and click on Next button.

7.       On the appeared next page in FQDN of the forest root domain text box type the name of the new domain and click on Next button. (In case you have already configured DNS server you need to type in the name of the DNS zone that you have previously created as in this case it is MyZone.com)

8.       On Set Forest Functional Level page leave everything as default and click on Next button.

9.       On Set Domain Functional Level page click on Next button as well.

10.   On the next page click on Next button again and on Create DNS Delegation page click on Next button.

11.   On the appeared credential box provide the user name and password of the administrator account and click on Ok button.

12.   On the next page click on Next button.

13.   On Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Password page provide the restore mode password and click on Next button.

On Summary page click on Next button to start the installation of Active Directory Services.