Preconfiguration
After the server is freshly installed, we need to configure the following settings:
- Setup the network properly, especially its static IP address
- Setup the desired hostname
- Setup the time configuration, especially the timezone, using NTP (optional)
- Apply the latest updates before moving on to DC roles installation
Network setup
Connect remotely to your new server using PowerShell
Enter-PSSession -ComputerName COMPUTERNAME -Credential USERUse the following article to configure the network, fix the IP address and remove the DHCP configuration: https://blog.fevio.fr/2005/04/windows-server-set-up-a-network-adapter-using-powershell/
Change the hostname
Rename-Computer -NewName "NewServerName"Update the time settings
Follow this article: https://blog.fevio.fr/2000/09/windows-server-ntp-configuration/
Then, upgrade your server before moving on.
Directory Controller Configuration
From the previous remote PowerShell session, run the following command:
Install-WindowsFeature -Name AD-Domain-Services -IncludeManagementToolsFor a WHOLE NEW FOREST/DOMAIN
Now, we install the corresponding roles, choose the different paths we want to use and tell we want to create a DNS server as well
Install-ADDSForest -DomainName "fevio.fr" -InstallDNS -DatabasePath "C:\NTDS" -SysvolPath "C:\SYSVOL" -LogPath "C:\Logs"Or, to add a DC to an EXISTANT domain
Use the following command instead:
Install-ADDSDomainController -InstallDns -DatabasePath "C:\NTDS" -SysvolPath "C:\SYSVOL" -LogPath "C:\Logs" -Credential (Get-Credential "fevio.fr\Administrator") -DomainName "fevio.fr"The server will then install the different roles required, including the DNS part, and reboot after the process ends.
Note that, running repadmin.exe /replsummary through a remote PS shell will fail, to check the replication status you will need to run those commands from the local terminal of your server, or through a remote desktop session for a non-core server.