WINDOWS SERVER 2012 ACTIVE DIRECTORY DOMAIN CONTROLLAR

This tutorial will explain how to install AD on server 2012 R2.

Requirement: -

Minimum: 1.4 Ghz 64-bit processor

Minimum: 512 MB RAM

Minimum: 32 GB or greater

The first step is to get server 2012 install on a server.

We need to start "Server Manager" it can open using shortcut on task bar or from Start > Server Manager: -

Then in Server Manager window click on option "Add roles and features" option.

Then it will load the "Add Role Wizard", Click next to continue

In next window keep "Role-based or feature-based installation" default selection and click on next.

In next window we can select which server to install role. in our case it will be local. so keep the default selection and click on next.

In next window it gives option to select the roles. select the "DNS Server" and click on box to tick it.

Then it will prompt window to inform about the related additional features which DNS role need. click on "Add features" to continue.

In next window it gives option to select any additional feature, but in here I will keep it default. click on next to continue

 

Then it will give brief introduction about the DNS role, click on next button to continue

In next window it will give details about the selected features and click on "Install" to begin the installation

Then it will begin the installation and we need to wait till it completes.

Once its completes click on close.

Then you can access DNS server using server manager > tools > DNS

Now we have everything ready for AD install

So let’s load server manager again and click on "Add roles and features"

 

Then it will load the "Add roles and features" wizard. click on next to continue.

In next window keep "Role-based or feature-based installation" default selection and click on next.

In next window we can select which server to install role. in our case it will be local. so keep the default selection and click on next.

In next window it gives option to select the roles. select and click on tick box "Active Directory Domain Services"

 

Then it will prompt window to indicate the additional feature installations related to selected role. click on "Add Features" to continue.

Then in next window click on next to continue

 

In next window it will give option to select additional feature to install. but I will keep the default selection. click next to install.

In next window it gives brief description about the AD service. click on next to continue.

In next window it gives brief about the installation. click on "install" to start the installation.

In next window it will begins the service install and we have to wait till it finish.

Once it finish click on "close" to exit from the wizard. then next step is to reboot the server to complete the installation.

After that completes we need to start on the DC setup. to start that open the "Server Manager" and click Task flag on right hand corner. then it will list option as below picture. click on "promote this server to a domain controller" option (highlighted with yellow in picture)

Then it starts the DCPROMO wizard. on the first window since it’s going to be new forest I have selected option "Add a new forest" and I typed the domain name "contoso.com" which I will be using on the forest. once fill the info click on "next" to continue.

in domain controller capabilities its by default selected DNS server and Global Catalog as its first DC in the forest. then we need to defined password to use in DC recovery. click on next to continue.

In next window it will give following error but it can be ignoring. click on next to continue.

In next window it asks for the NetBIOS name. we can keep it default and click on next to continue.

In next window it gives option to change file paths for AD database, log files and SYSVOL files. we can change the paths or keep them defaults. once changes are done click on next to continue.

In next window it will run system check and verify system is compatible with the selected installation. once test completes successfully click on install button to begin the installation. if it passes any critical errors those needs to be address before the installation begin.

 

In next window it will run system check and verify system is compatible with the selected installation. once test completes successfully click on install button to begin the installation. if it passes any critical errors those needs to be address before the installation begin.

Once its complete the install it will automatically reboot the server.

Once server is rebooted log in to server using domain admin credentials.

In our demo it will be in format of

User: - contoso\Administrator

Password: - XXXXXXXXX

Once login, load the "Server manager" and click on "AD DS" option in right hand list. then select and right click as showed in screenshot to start with AD configuration.

Now we successfully completed with the DC setup on server 2012 R2. if you have any issue about the steps feel free to contact me on vijayparjapati91@gmail.com