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How to Configure a Server Core Domain Controller: Vanilla to First DC in a Forest

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Hi All

Sometimes you just want a new Domain created quickly for a bit of testing. Given that Windows 2008 ships with server core, a light footprint version of the OS, it’s ideal for being the domain controller. As I am fairly inexperienced with Server Core I had to search all over the place to find information on how to go from a vanilla server core build, to a dc running a brand new domain. I figured out a set of commands that achieve this, so thought I would share them with the world.

Rename Host

Netdom renamecomputer <OldName> /NewName:<NewName>

Set IP

netsh int ip set address "Local Area Connection" static 192.168.0.210 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.1 1

Set DNS

Netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name=”<idxname>” address=<IP Address> index = 1

Install DNS Role

start /w ocsetup DNS-Server-Core-Role

Create New Domain

dcpromo /unattend:c:\unattend.txt

Unattend.txt Contents

[DCINSTALL]
AutoConfigDNS=Yes
DomainNetBiosName=benpdom
NewDomainDNSName=benpdom.com
ReplicaOrNewDomain=Domain
NewDomain=Forest
ForestLevel=3
DomainLevel=3
SafeModeAdminPassword=Password1234
RebootOnSuccess=Yes

Another cool Server Core reference can be found on Mark’s blog here:

https://blogs.technet.com/mempson/archive/2008/03/19/server-core-quick-reference-guide.aspx

Hope this helps

Cheers

BenP

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    enable file and print sharing firewall rules to allow ping without disabling firewall

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The Read-only Domain Controller is one of the new and most existing features of Windows Server 2008.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    One of the things I have pointed people to a few times recently&#160; is the Windows Server Core document

  • Anonymous
    October 15, 2009
    In my case i have seen that i had to first disable the firewall on the server core, only then could i ping that machine...is that a requirement?