Promote a domain controller on Windows Server Technical Preview (vNext)

Starting from Windows Server 2012, we cannot perform dcpromo to promote a Windows Server to be a domain controller. To promote a Windows Server to be a domain controller, we can use "Server Manager" or "PowerShell".

Prerequisites

Make sure the server has been assigned fix IP address by GUI or PowerShell before promoting to be a domain controller.

Lab environment

1 server named DC10 which is installed Windows Server Technical Preview (vNext) will be promoted to be a first domain controller in Active Directory forest. DC10 is installed in a Hyper-V environment and I took a checkpoint before promoting it.

Lab

Promote DC10 to be a domain controller by GUI.

1. On DC10, log in as local administrator.

2. Launch "Server Manager".

3. On "Server Manager", click "Add roles and features".

4. On "Before You Begin" window, click "Next".

5. On Installation Type" window, select "Role-based or feature-based installation" and then click "Next".

6. On "Server Selection" window, click "Next".

7. On "Server Roles" window, check "Active Directory Domain Services" and then click "Add Features".

8. Click "Next".

9. On "Features" window, click "Next".

10. On "AD DS" window, click "Next".

11. On "Confirmation" window, click "Install".

12. When installation finished, on "Results" window, click "Promote this server to a domain controller".

13. On "Deployment Configuration" window, select "Add a new forest".

14. Next to "Root domain name", enter "<domain name>", in my lab, I entered "tls1.lab".

15. Click "Next".

On "Domain Controller Options" window, we can see that the "Forest functional level" hasn't been updated in this technical preview option.

16. Next to "Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) password", enter a password for DSRM.

17. Click "Next".

18. On "DNS Options" window, click "Next".

19. On "Additional Options" window, leave default NetBIOS domain name and then click "Next".

20. On "Paths" window, leave default paths of AD DA database, log files and SYSVOL and then click "Next".

Remark: In enterprise environment, administrators will change log files to another partition for better performance of Active Directory.

21. On "Review Options" window, click "View script".

We can use this PowerShell script to promote a server to be the first domain controller.

Remark: To promote an additional domain controller in virtualization environment, please read Virtualized Domain Controller Deployment and Configuration for more information.

22. Close "Notepad" and then click "Next" on "Review Options" window.

23. On "Prerequisites Check" window, click "Install".

Then, DC10 will restart automatically for promoting to a domain controller.

Promote DC10 to be a domain controller by PowerShell.





First, I applied the checkpoint to roll back DC10 to be a server not a domain controller.

1. On DC10, log in as local administrator.

2. Launch "PowerShell" as administrator.

3. Perform "Install-WindowsFeature AD-Domain-Services -IncludeAllSubFeature -IncludeManagementTools -Verbose" to install the Windows Feature.

4. Perform "Install-ADDSForest -DomainName tls1.lab -DomainNetbiosName TLS1 -ForestMode Win2012R2 -InstallDns -Verbose" to promote the first domain controller.

If we don't perform "Paths" parameter, it saves to database, log files and SYSVOL to default paths.

5. Enter a password for Safe Mode Administrator twice.



Safe Mode Administrator password is same as Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) password.

6. Enter "Y".

Then, DC10 will restart automatically for promoting to a domain controller.

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