3 Promote the server to Domain Controller

To promote my server to a domain controller i had to first install Active Directory Domain Services, which installs the domain services installation wizard (dcpromo.exe). Ideally, a DNS server should already be running set up on the network. The first step to installing ADDS is to go to server manager, select roles in the left pane, and click add roles in the right pane.

Next select Active Directory Domain Services and click next

The next screen confirms the role you have selected to install and also tells you what you can do after its installed. Click install.

When the installation comes back as successful, a message will pop up asking to you to reboot. click restart now

After the reboot go to start > run, and type in dcpromo.

When you click OK, you will start the domain services installation wizard.

Click next to go to the deployment configuration screen. It's a new domain controller so create a new domain in a new forest, click next.

Select the functional lever of the domain controller. Selecting server 2008 will only allow domain controllers with a minimum of server 2008 OS to join the forest.

You can then select additional options for the domain controller, install DNS and follow the wizard.

Go through the summary and make sure all your entries are correct, if so click next.

The installation wizard will begin installing and configuring all of the options set. Click finish when this screen pops up.

And as per Microsoft tradition, the restart now prompt will pop up, select restart now.