Windows Server 2003 - Installing Active Directory

Part 2 - Installing Active Directory

With installations, 7 minutes of planning will save an hour for rework. The secret of troubleshooting Active Directory installs is mastering DNS.  I find NSLookup invaluable, also Ipconfig's new switches /registerdns and /flushdns are handy.

Topics for Installing Active Directory

• What's new in Server 2003
• Procedure for Installing a Domain Controller
• Crucial Install DNS Stage (With Diagram)
• Post Installation Check list

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What's new in Windows Server 2003?

• Check a new program ADPREP.  It has /forestprep switches like Exchange.
• Install a brand new Domain Controller from a back up of an existing server.

ADPREP

Here is a built-in command line tool that will prepare the schema.  It does not actually install the NDTS.dit files but it does prepare the forest or the individual domain for Active Directory.

ADPREP /forestprep

ADPREP /domainprep

DCPROMO /adv

If you already have a working domain controller, backup the system state, go to a member server, run DCPROMO /adv then point the wizard to the backup files

Procedure for creating a Domain Controller

The key to success is preparation: 

Decide your DNS and enter the name in the Computer Name Tab in the System Icon (Windows Key + Pause).  Whilst this section deals with the nuts and bolts of an installation, take care to design your Active Directory forest, for example, account naming strategy, top level OUs, group policies.

Now you are ready to run DCPROMO.

DCPROMO decisions

To call for the Active Directory Installation Wizard, Start, Run DCPROMO and answer these questions:

1. New Domain - or Replica (another DC in the same domain)
2. Domain Tree in existing forest - or New Domain Tree
3. Domain in New Forest

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Crucial Install DNS Stage

There are many ways of installing DNS, but I favour doing as little as possible myself, and letting the DCPROMO Wizard do as much as possible.  For Example, here is a crucial stage where DCPROMO needs DNS, I always select the middle option, ' Install and Configure DNS on this computer...'  To be crystal clear, I do NOT configure DNS myself, I let the Wizard create all those _msdcs records.

See much more on DNS here

Best practice

Remember that the Active Directory can grow so make sure the partition has at least 300 MB of free space for NTDS.dit itself, and 100 MB for the log files.  Talking of the logs, install the edbxxx.log files on a separate disk.

Post installation considerations

To verify that installation has run smoothly check the following:

1. DNS _SRV record: _msdcs, _sites, _tcp, _udp.  Also the GC, DC records are essential for users to find the global catalog and domain controller in order to logon.  If these records do not appear, try stopping and starting the Netlogon service.
2. Run %systemroot%\sysvol and look for domain folders.
3. Check the System and Directory Service Event logs for error messages.

Demotion back to member server

If the worst comes to the worst, run DCPROMO to demote, then try again making different decisions.

Active Directory Training

As an MCT trainer, I can thoroughly recommend TrainSignal because they provide practical hands on training.  In particular, I like the way that TrainSignal cover all learning methods, instructor lead, video and of course text material.  You can either take one module, for example Active Directory or go for a combination of modules.  See more about Active Directory training