Installing a New Forest by Using the Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows provides two wizards that guide you through the AD DS installation process. The first wizard is the Add Roles Wizard, which you can access in Server Manager. The second wizard is the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard, which you can access in the following ways:

• When you complete the Add Roles Wizard, click the link to launch the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard.

• Click Start, click Run, type dcpromo.exe, and then click OK.

Administrative credentials

To perform this procedure, you must be logged on as the local Administrator for the computer. Depending on the operating system installation options that were selected for the computer, the local Administrator password might be blank or it might not be required. In this case, run the following command at a command prompt before you start to install AD DS:

net user Administrator <password>/passwordreq:yes

Replace <password> with a strong password.

To install a new forest by using the Windows interface

1. Open Server Manager. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager.

2. In Roles Summary, click Add Roles.

3. If necessary, review the information on the Before You Begin page and then click Next.

4. On the Select Server Roles page, click the Active Directory Domain Services check box, and then click Next.

5. If necessary, review the information on the Active Directory Domain Services page, and then click Next.

6. On the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install.

7. On the Installation Results page, click Close this wizard and launch the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard (dcpromo.exe).

8. On the Welcome to the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard page, click Next.

   You can select the Use advanced mode installation check box to get additional installation options.

9. On the Operating System Compatibility page, review the warning about the default security settings for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 domain controllers, and then click Next.

10. On the Choose a Deployment Configuration page, click Create a new domain in a new forest, and then click Next.

11. On the Name the Forest Root Domain page, type the full Domain Name System (DNS) name for the forest root domain, and then click Next.

    Although Dcpromo.exe in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 allows you to create a single-label DNS domain name, you should not use a single-label DNS name for a domain for several reasons. In Windows Server 2008 R2, Dcpromo.exe does not allow you to create a single-label DNS name for a domain. For more information, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92467.

12. If you selected Use advanced mode installation on the Welcome page, the Domain NetBIOS Name page appears. On this page, type the NetBIOS name of the domain if necessary or accept the default name, and then click Next.

13. On the Set Forest Functional Level page, select the forest functional level that accommodates the domain controllers that you plan to install anywhere in the forest, and then click Next.

14. On the Set Domain Functional Level page, select the domain functional level that accommodates the domain controllers that you plan to install anywhere in the domain, and then click Next.

15. On the Additional Domain Controller Options page, DNS server is selected by default so that your forest DNS infrastructure can be created during AD DS installation. If you plan to use Active Directory–integrated DNS, click Next. If you have an existing DNS infrastructure and you do not want this domain controller to be a DNS server, clear the DNS server check box, and then click Next.

    If you do not have static IPv4 and IPv6 addresses assigned to your network adapters, a warning message might appear advising you to set static addresses for both of these protocols before you can continue. If you have assigned a static IPv4 address to your network adapter and your organization does not use IPv6, you can ignore this message and click, Yes, the computer will use a dynamically assigned IP address (not recommended).

If the wizard cannot create a delegation for the DNS server, it displays a message to indicate that you can create the delegation manually. To continue, click **Yes**.

16. On the Location for Database, Log Files, and SYSVOL page, type or browse to the volume and folder locations for the database file, the directory service log files, and the SYSVOL files, and then click Next.

    Windows Server Backup backs up the directory service by volume. For backup and recovery efficiency, store these files on separate volumes that do not contain applications or other nondirectory files.

17. On the Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Password page, type and confirm the restore mode password, and then click Next. This password must be used to start AD DS in Directory Service Restore Mode for tasks that must be performed offline.

18. On the Summary page, review your selections. Click Back to change any selections, if necessary.

    To save the selected settings to an answer file that you can use to automate subsequent AD DS operations, click Export settings. Type the name for your answer file, and then click Save.

    When you are sure that your selections are accurate, click Next to install AD DS.

19. You can either select the Reboot on completion check box to have the server restart automatically or you can restart the server to complete the AD DS installation when you are prompted to do so.