11/29/2016 Step by Step guide to setup Active Directory on Windows Server 2012 ­ RebelAdmin

REBELADMIN

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SETUP ACTIVE
DIRECTORY ON WINDOWS SERVER 2012
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. it is very similar to server 2008 install and
in one of my previous posts i have discribe how to do the install in details.

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Next thing we need to do is get network interfaces configured. it is obvious to use static ip
address for the server. Since the server will be act as DNS server, for DNS server field you can use
local host address 127.0.0.1

It is recommend to use meaning full name as the server name. in demo i renamed it as "DCPR1"

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After this we are ready to start on the AD install. As per my next step i will start DNS role install
first. This is not must to do, you also can install dns during the AD install. But as per best practice
i always prefer to add DNS role first.
To do this we need to start "Server Manager" it can opne using shortcut on task bar or from Start
> Server Manager

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

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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.

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In next window it give 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.

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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

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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.

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Once its completes click on close.

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

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Now we have every thing ready for AD install. so lets 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.

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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"

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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

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

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

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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.

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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)

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Then it starts the DCPROMO wizard. on the first window since its 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 next window we can select the forest and domain functional levels. i will keep it default. then
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.

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

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

In next window it give 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.

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In next window it gives description about the installation. 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 its
passes any critical errors those needs to be address before the installation begin.

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then it will start the install and we need to wait till it finishes.

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

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

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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 rebeladm@live.com

Share and Enjoy:

Posted in Active Directory, MICROSOFT, Windows 2012 and tagged Active Directory 2012, Active
Directory Forest, AD feature, DNS server, Globle Catalogue, Role Services, Windows 2012 R2
Server, Windows Server 2012 on July 4, 2014. 48 Comments

← HOW TO INSTALL PRINT SERVER ? CREATE USERS WITH USER TEMPLATES IN AD →

48 COMMENTS
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48 COMMENTS

thank you
May 1, 2015 at 7:15 am

Thank you for this instruction, it helped me alot because im used to ws 2008, this was
a little difficult to find out i needed to install dns before adds. 

REPLY

naresh
May 7, 2015 at 10:54 am

Thank you was really helpful

REPLY

Simen
July 1, 2015 at 1:00 pm

Thanks a lot! Really helpful. When DCPROMO no longer worked I was really sucked, but
this guide helped me out!

REPLY

springcool02
August 17, 2015 at 6:42 pm

excellent

REPLY

Bjorn
August 24, 2015 at 10:39 pm

Thanks, clear printscreens, every step was detailed and accurate.

Keep up the good work!

REPLY

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Shawn
September 17, 2015 at 9:56 am

You the best!

REPLY

imfak
November 9, 2015 at 3:00 am

Hi Mate. Thanks a lot for the great guide. It was so easy to learn and implement.

REPLY

Shahid
November 26, 2015 at 11:00 pm

Very nice and helpful

REPLY

Michael
December 13, 2015 at 5:12 am

Thanks! Got my home all set up!

REPLY

Sanket
January 24, 2016 at 10:24 am

Done for the first time on 2K12 with the help of this post. Thanks a bunch!

REPLY

Zahoor
January 24, 2016 at 1:43 pm

Very nice and helpful. aprreciated

Thumbs up!

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REPLY

tamru
February 5, 2016 at 7:23 am

waw best computer profetional

REPLY

Steven Broschat
February 7, 2016 at 9:44 pm

Bravo,  Well done!

REPLY

Eldos
February 10, 2016 at 2:02 am

Thanks Rebel, truly appreciate the step by step instruction. People like you make
"people like me"s job a whole lot easier !

REPLY

Tina
February 10, 2016 at 7:44 am

Hi, i just completely setup a directory on our server. Thanks to your detailed
instruction.

REPLY

praveen
February 26, 2016 at 12:21 pm

Hi thank you the detailed way of the instruction.

REPLY

kuldeep Sharma
March 18, 2016 at 12:03 pm
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March 18, 2016 at 12:03 pm

Thank you very much its very helpful.

 

REPLY

OSCar
March 18, 2016 at 4:13 pm

Thank you, very helpful because I need install Sharepoint and not could! thank you!!!

REPLY

Abdul Hasib
March 24, 2016 at 6:13 am

Great Work!!!

REPLY

venkat
March 28, 2016 at 7:09 am

Thank you Mr. Dishan it help to me alot

REPLY

Sangeetha
March 29, 2016 at 10:37 am

Thanks a lot …..Every single step was explained clearly with screenshots.was very much
useful.Thanks agin.goodwork!

REPLY

Vinay
March 29, 2016 at 10:54 am

Thank You Very Much

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REPLY

vetrivel
March 29, 2016 at 4:44 pm

Thank you so much

 

REPLY

yaswanth
April 9, 2016 at 3:33 am

thank you bro 

REPLY

sameer
April 22, 2016 at 5:04 am

dilshan,
its awesome , we can learn very easily. plz share Symantec backup technology too

REPLY

sowmya
April 29, 2016 at 1:10 pm

Thank you very much its very helpful.

REPLY

Ban Kengy
May 2, 2016 at 5:10 pm

Ok great stuff how to install.  This I know but a good reminder.  OK this may sound stupid, how
now to configure the zones via DNS, how to log onto the server from client PC ! It woul be good
to show how it works when a client(s) log onto to it ?

REPLY

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Bhaskar
May 3, 2016 at 10:22 am

Thank you for snapshots.

REPLY

balaji
May 8, 2016 at 3:05 pm

<p>Dear sir&nbsp;.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>brillant job .thanks a lot</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Balaji</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

REPLY

Jovan
May 11, 2016 at 12:49 pm

Thank you for very good howto

REPLY

Adem HUR
May 13, 2016 at 12:22 pm

Thanks a lot

REPLY

wafaa
May 21, 2016 at 2:44 pm

Hi
thank you for this topic 
why after configuring a domain the internet is lost . i have no connection to internet 

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thank you

REPLY

raghu
May 29, 2016 at 6:30 pm

hats off brother….awesome..keep going 

REPLY

Alexendra Lazrous
June 10, 2016 at 10:40 am

Hi
I Really thankful to you I have learn about win server 2012.
I just want to know the about the disk management.

REPLY

Prashant agrahari
June 15, 2016 at 4:34 am

Very very thanks for help of this information

REPLY

Jaffar Ali Khan

July 1, 2016 at 2:52 am

Thank You So Much…. Keep It Up Sir.

Regards

REPLY

Rachata
July 19, 2016 at 1:59 pm

Thank you for information.

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REPLY

faizincaa
July 27, 2016 at 8:50 am

Thank you for your guide.it hepl me alote

REPLY

Muhwezi Nobert.
July 30, 2016 at 8:25 am

Thanks, great work done.

REPLY

Farooq
July 30, 2016 at 8:08 pm

A great tutorial, i have been looking for a guide to installing AD DS role in windows
server 2012 and it help me alot. thanks for your efforts.

REPLY

Sohan
August 8, 2016 at 11:28 am

clear Steps, Thanks

REPLY

Hamura Kitara
August 19, 2016 at 3:31 pm

Very useful tutorial to me. Great sharing for people learning Windows server active
directory ds. Thmbs up and keep up the day with your nice more aricles next time.

REPLY

Leroy
September 13, 2016 at 1:52 pm
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September 13, 2016 at 1:52 pm

Thanks dude you are a life saver, this works as well for Server 2012

REPLY

K.Govindasamy
September 21, 2016 at 4:21 am

Thank you very much, 

In this steps.

REPLY

Joel Njoroge
September 27, 2016 at 10:48 am

Informative keep the good work on…

REPLY

Gumpex
October 5, 2016 at 1:52 pm

thank you

REPLY

Varun
October 7, 2016 at 11:16 am

Really appreciate your work. Thanks for sharing with us.

REPLY

Ganesan
October 19, 2016 at 10:27 pm

Thank you for the information

REPLY

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ABOUT ME
Dishan M. Francis
MVP,MBCS,CCNP,CCNA,I
TIL v3 Cert,MCITP
Enterprise Administrator
Windows Server 2008,
MCSA(2008,2012),MCP
I'm a Technology Consultant at
Frontier Technology Limited. with
10 years’ experience in the
planning, design, and
implementation of network
technologies. Background includes

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hands-on experience with multi-

platform, LAN/WAN environments.
Demonstrated record of success in
troubleshooting Servers,
increasing efficiency, and
optimizing the access and
utilization of shared information.
Specialist in extending technology
services from corporate
headquarters to field operations.
Professionally certified in a wide
range of networking technologies.
This blog will use to share the
experience, knowledge gain over
the years and be a help for the
others in the field. This is non-
profit web site and for any inquiry
about post or subject matter
please feel free to contact me on
rebeladm@live.com

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TAGS

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