Setting up a Windows Server Core as a Domain Controller

Setting up a Windows Server Core as a Domain Controller requires the use of PowerShell since Server Core does not have a graphical interface.

Step 1: Rename the Server

First, rename your server to something meaningful before promoting it to a Domain Controller.

1. Check the current hostname:

   hostname

2. Rename the server:

   Rename-Computer -NewName "NewServerName" -Force

3. Restart the server for the changes to take effect:

   Restart-Computer

Step 2: Configure IP Address

Configure a static IP address, as domain controllers typically require one.

1. List the available network adapters:

   Get-NetAdapter

2. Set a static IP address (replace AdapterName, IPAddress, SubnetMask, and DefaultGateway with your values):

   New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet0" -IPAddress 192.168.1.10 -PrefixLength 24 -DefaultGateway 192.168.1.1

3. Set the DNS server for this interface (usually the local machine if it’s a DC):

   Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet0" -ServerAddresses 192.168.1.10

Step 3: Install AD DS Role

Install the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) role on the server.

1. Install the AD DS role:

   Install-WindowsFeature AD-Domain-Services -IncludeManagementTools

Step 4: Promote the Server to a Domain Controller

Once the AD DS role is installed, promote the server to a Domain Controller.

1. Create a new forest and domain. Replace YourDomainName.local with your preferred domain name:

   Install-ADDSForest -DomainName "YourDomainName.local" -DomainNetBiosName "YourNetBIOSName" -SafeModeAdministratorPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString "YourPassword" -AsPlainText -Force) -InstallDNS

2. During this process, you’ll be asked to confirm the operation, and the server will reboot after successful promotion.

Step 5: Verify Domain Controller Setup

After the server reboots, you can verify if the promotion was successful.

1. Check the domain information:

   Get-ADDomain

2. Check the domain controller status:

   Get-ADDomainController

3. You can also verify that DNS is running correctly by using:

   Resolve-DnsName -Server localhost -Name YourDomainName.com

Step 6: Configure Additional Settings (Optional)

• Set time synchronization (important for domain controllers):

   w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:"time.windows.com" /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:YES /update

• Sync time immediately:

   w32tm /resync

Now your Windows Server Core should be up and running as a Domain Controller!