How to install Active Directory on

Windows 2003

By Huzaifah Ahmad
Published 08/12/2007
Active Directory , Windows 2003
Rating:
How to install Active Directory on Windows 2003

Before you start following this article you must be aware this is simply a lab setup and
you need to assign relevant ip address, hostnames & domain names which are relavant to
your enviroment / organisation.
I will be using the following:
Hostname=DC-LAB
IP address=172.16.7.200
Subnet Mask=255.255.0.0
Domain name=LAB.COM
Partition: NTFS ( 8 GB )
The Virtual machine used has been installed as of date when this article was written with
a default install of Windows 2003 R2 SP2 + all MS critical updates.
Step 1: Start Windows :)

Step 2: Logon to Windows :)

Step 3: Go to the command prompt. start > run > cmd > click ok
Ensure the hostname is configured correctly. This can be changed at a later date once it
has been made a DC but I personally recommend NOT doing so. Get it right the first time
is always recommended. The ip address, subnet mask, DG & DNS has been set correctly
according to your network ip addressing plan.
Oops did I say "Plan" Yes I did, make sure you plan your AD / Network before you get
all excited and dive into installing your domain or else get ready for some horrible
nightmares.
I have come across all sorts of networks where so called :) IT administrators have
assigned public ip address on the LAN. This should only be done if the ISP has assigned
a range to your office and the network design has a need for the same. Specifically the
networks I refer to have NOT been assigned any public ip's from there ISP and they have
taken it upon themselves to use any numbers they liked :) & had all sorts of problems
with there network or dns lookups. Some are still stuck with these problems as there
networks have grown beyond control and extremely complex & simply to implement a
change management & rectify this mistake would cost them a lot more than they ever
imagined.
So Plan! Plan! Plan! If unsure take some professional advice.

Step 4: Running DCPROMO.EXE

This can be done in two ways.
a. Either run Manage Your Server Wizard
b. Run dcpromo.exe from the run menu. ( we will use this option.)

The above screen shot "Manage you Server" is not an additional component it is pre
installed with windows 2003 and it appears under Start > Programs > Administrative
tools > Manage You Server.

Step 5: The DCPROMO Wizard.

1. If you have not read any notes or seem unclear and still have doubts click on "Active
Directory Help" when you see the first window shown above.
2. If you are comfortable with the information you have in hand go to the next step.
3. Click next.

4. Select "Domain controller for a new domain".

5. Select "Domain in a new Forest"

6. Select "Install and configure DNS server on this computer"

Note: This will prompt you later on in the wizard to copy some files for DNS so keep
your Windows 2003 media in hand.

7. Enter your Active Directory domain name here click next.

8. Accept the domain NETBIOS name.

(NetBIOS names provides for down-level compatibility.)

9. Click next.
Note: If your AD has been planned and the growth factor has been taken into account I
would recommend to plan these locations right from the begining. Logs and database
should be on a different partition. This will improve performance.

10. Click next.

11. Click next.

12. Type a password (record this password part of your secure server documentation)
click next.
Note: This password does not need to be the same as your domain administrator
password. To read more regarding this topic click on the "AD help link" on the same
window.

13. View the Summary than click next.

14. Once you click next you will see a series of task performed by the wizard and it will

start preparing AD.

15. You than be prompted for Windows 2003 SP2 cd as indicated in point 6 earlier in this
article.

16. Insert the cd in your cd rom drive click next. The wizard will start copying the
required files for DNS and configured DNS on your behalf.

17. The wizard completes successfully click finish.

18. Click restart now.