Promoting Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard to a Domain Controller

Promoting a server to a Domain Controller (DC) in Windows Server involves several steps. Here’s a complete guide:

Step 1: Install Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)

1. Log in to Windows Server 2008 R2 with an Administrator account.
2. Open Server Manager:
   • Click Start > Administrative Tools > Server Manager.
3. Add Active Directory Role:
   • In Server Manager, click Roles > Add Roles.
   • Select Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and click Next.
   • Click Install and wait for the installation to complete.

Step 2: Promote the Server to a Domain Controller

1. Run the DCPROMO Command:
   • Click Start, type dcpromo.exe, and press Enter.
   • The Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard will open.
2. Choose Deployment Configuration:
   • If setting up a new domain, select “Create a new domain in a new forest”.
   • If joining an existing domain, select “Add a domain controller to an existing domain”.
3. Set the Root Domain Name:
   • Example: yourcompany.local.
   • Click Next.
4. Set Forest Functional Level:
   • If you have only Windows Server 2008 R2, choose Windows Server 2008 R2.
   • If you have older domain controllers (e.g., 2003), choose Windows Server 2003.
5. Choose Additional Domain Controller Options:
   • Check DNS Server (recommended).
   • If prompted about delegation, click Yes to continue.
6. Set Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) Password:
   • Create a strong password for recovery purposes.
7. Confirm and Install:
   • Review the summary and click Next.
   • The installation will proceed and the server will automatically restart.

Step 3: Verify the Domain Controller

1. Check Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC)
   • Click Start > Run > type dsa.msc and press Enter.
   • Ensure your domain name appears in the console.
2. Check DNS Settings
   • Click Start > Run > type dnsmgmt.msc and press Enter.
   • Ensure your domain is listed under Forward Lookup Zones.
3. Test Active Directory Replication
   • Open Command Prompt (cmd.exe as Administrator).
   • Run:

     repadmin /replsummary
     

   • Ensure there are no major errors.

Step 4: Join Computers to the Domain

1. On the client computer, go to Control Panel > System > Change settings.
2. Click Change > Select Domain and enter the domain name (yourcompany.local).
3. Enter domain administrator credentials when prompted.
4. Restart the computer to complete the process.

Next Steps

• Configure Group Policies (GPOs) for user and system management.
• Set up Mapped Drives and ODBC connections via Group Policy.
• Enable Active Directory Backups using Windows Server Backup.