Before you start following this article you must be aware this is simply a lab setup and you need to assign relevant ip address, hostnames & domain names which are relavant to your enviroment / organisation.

I will be using the following:

Hostname=DC-LAB
IP address=172.16.7.200
Subnet Mask=255.255.0.0
Domain name=LAB.COM
Partition: NTFS ( 8 GB ) 

The Virtual machine used has been installed as of date when this article was written with a default install of Windows 2003 R2 SP2 + all MS critical updates.

Step 1: Start Windows :)

Step 2:  Logon to Windows :)



Step 3: Go to the command prompt. start > run > cmd > click ok

Ensure the hostname is configured correctly. This can be changed at a later date once it has been made a DC but I personally recommend NOT doing so. Get it right the first time is always recommended. The ip address, subnet mask, DG & DNS has been set correctly according to your network ip addressing plan.

Oops did I say "Plan" Yes I did, make sure you plan your AD / Network before you get all excited and dive into installing your domain or else get ready for some horrible nightmares.

I have come across all sorts of networks where so called :) IT administrators have assigned public ip address on the LAN. This should only be done if the ISP has assigned a range to your office and the network design has a need for the same. Specifically the networks I refer to have NOT been assigned any public ip's from there ISP and they have taken it upon themselves to use any numbers they liked :) & had all sorts of problems with there network or dns lookups. Some are still stuck with these problems as there networks have grown beyond control and extremely complex & simply to implement a change management & rectify this mistake would cost them a lot more than they ever imagined.

So Plan! Plan! Plan! If unsure take some professional advice.



Step 4: Running DCPROMO.EXE

This can be done in two ways.
      a. Either run Manage Your Server Wizard
      b. Run dcpromo.exe from the run menu. ( we will use this option.)




The above screen shot "Manage you Server" is not an additional component it is pre installed with windows 2003 and it appears under Start > Programs > Administrative tools > Manage You Server.




Step 5:  The DCPROMO Wizard.




1. If you have not read any notes or seem unclear and still have doubts click on "Active Directory Help" when you see the first window shown above.

2. If you are comfortable with the information you have in hand go to the next step.

3. Click next.



4. Select "Domain controller for a new domain".



5. Select "Domain in a new Forest"



6. Select "Install and configure DNS server on this computer"
Note: This will prompt you later on in the wizard to copy some files for DNS so keep your Windows 2003 media in hand.



7. Enter your Active Directory domain name here click next.



8. Accept the domain NETBIOS name.
(NetBIOS names provides for down-level compatibility.)



9. Click next.
Note: If your AD has been planned and the growth factor has been taken into account I would recommend to plan these locations right from the begining. Logs and database should be on a different partition. This will improve performance.



10. Click next.



11. Click next.



12. Type a password (record this password part of your secure server documentation) click next.
Note: This password does not need to be the same as your domain administrator password. To read more regarding this topic click on the "AD help link" on the same window.



13. View the Summary than click next.



14. Once you click next you will see a series of task performed by the wizard and it will start preparing AD.







15. You than be prompted for Windows 2003 SP2 cd as indicated in point 6 earlier in this article.



16. Insert the cd in your cd rom drive click next. The wizard will start copying the required files for DNS and configured DNS on your behalf.



17. The wizard completes successfully click finish.



18. Click restart now.