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Windows Server 2008 Core: Add a domain controller to a Windows Server 2003 forest

Originally published Last updated

By Ivan Versluis

Today I installed my first Windows Server 2008 Core server, with the aim of adding a domain controller to my Windows Server 2003 test domain. I wanted to learn more about the new Server Core installation option.

Windows Server 2008 includes a variation of installations and has in addition Server Core option. Server Core is a significantly scaled-back installation where no Windows Explorer shell is installed. All configuration and maintenance is done entirely through command line interface windows, or by connecting to the machine remotely using Microsoft Management Console. However, Notepad and some control panel applets, such as Regional Settings, are available.

Before promoting the new Core server in my Windows Server 2003 test domain, I had to run adprep.exe to prepare the schema for the new server release.

Prepare Windows Server 2003 Active Directory

  1. Copy the \Sources\adrep folder from the Windows Server 2008 DVD and sign in to the AD schema domain controller.
  2. Open a CMD.exe prompt.
  3. Go to the directory and run adprep.exe /forestprep.
  4. After forest preparation finishes, run adprep.exe /domainprep /gpprep. Make sure the domain functional level is Windows 2003 native mode.

Promote Server Core to a domain controller

Create a text file named ntds_dcpromo_newdc.txt and paste in the following example. Change the domain to match your environment.

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[DCInstall]
; Replica DC promotion
ReplicaOrNewDomain=Replica
ReplicaDomainDNSName=Networknet.nl
SiteName=Site-Test
InstallDNS=yes
ConfirmGc=Yes
DNSDelegation=No
UserDomain=networknet.nl
UserName=Administrator
Password=
DatabasePath=C:\Windows\NTDS
LogPath=C:\Windows\NTDS
SYSVOLPath=C:\Windows\SYSVOL
; Set SafeModeAdminPassword to the correct value prior to using the unattend file
SafeModeAdminPassword=
; Run-time flags (optional)
; CriticalReplicationOnly=Yes
; RebootOnCompletion=Yes
TransferIMRoleIfNecessary=No
  1. Install DNS Server by running ocsetup DNS-Server-Core-Role.
  2. Run dcpromo /unattend:ntds_dcpromo_newdc.txt.

The installation ran smoothly, and the new server worked as planned.

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