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The answer file that you use to create a new domain controller must have the replica options specified. Use the following procedure to create the answer file.

Administrative credentials

To perform this procedure, you can use any account that has Read and Write privileges for the text editor application.

1. Open Notepad or any text editor.

2. On the first line, type [DCINSTALL], and then press ENTER.

3. Create the following entries, one entry on each line. These options are the minimum options that are required for a new domain controller installation with DNS and the global catalog installed and configured automatically. For a complete list of unattended installation options, including default values, allowed values, and descriptions, see Promotion Operation.

   UserName=

   UserDomain=

   Password=

   ReplicaOrNewDomain=replica

   ReplicaDomainDNSName=

   DatabasePath=

   LogPath=

   SYSVOLPath=

   InstallDNS=yes

   ConfirmGC=yes

   SafeModeAdminPassword=

   RebootOnCompletion=yes

4. Save the answer file to the location on the installation server from which it is to be called by Dcpromo, or save the file to a network share or removable media for distribution.

After you create the answer file, use the following procedure to perform the unattended installation. Use this procedure to install AD DS on either a full installation of Windows Server 2008 or a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008.

Administrative credentials

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Domain Admins group.

• At the command prompt, type the following, and then press ENTER:

  dcpromo /unattend:"path to the answer file"

Use the following procedure to perform an unattended installation of a new domain controller from the command line. For a complete list of unattended installation options, including default values, allowed values, and descriptions, type dcpromo /?:Promotion at a command prompt, or see Promotion Operation.

Administrative credentials

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Domain Admins group.

1. At a command prompt, type the following, and then press ENTER:

   dcpromo /unattend /unattendOption:value /unattendOption:value ...

   Where

   • unattendOption is an option in the Promotion Operation table. Separate each option:value pair with a space.
     
   • value is the configuration instruction for the option.
     

   The following example creates an additional domain controller with the global catalog and installs and configures DNS Server service:

   dcpromo /unattend /InstallDns:yes /confirmGC:yes /replicaOrNewDomain:replica /replicaDomainDNSName: contoso.com/databasePath:"e:\ntds" /logPath:"e:\ntdslogs" /sysvolpath:"g:\sysvol" /safeModeAdminPassword:FH#3573.cK /rebootOnCompletion:yes

2. When you have typed all the options that are required to create the additional domain controller, press ENTER.

The Windows interface provides two wizards that guide you through the AD DS installation process. The first wizard is the Add Roles Wizard, which you can access in Server Manager. The second wizard is the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard, which you can access in the following ways:

• When you complete the Add Roles Wizard, click the link to launch the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard.
  
• Click Start, click Run, type dcpromo.exe, and then click OK.
  

If you use the advanced options in the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard, you can control how AD DS is installed on the server, either by IFM or by replication:

• IFM: You can provide a location for installation media that you have created with Ntdsutil.exe or that you have restored from a backup of a similar domain controller in the same domain. If you create the installation media by using Ntdsutil, you have the option to create secure installation media for an RODC. In this case, ntdsutil removes cached secrets (such as passwords) from the installation media.
  
• Replication: You can specify a domain controller in the domain from which to replicate AD DS.
  

Administrative credentials

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Domain Admins group in the domain that is being installed.

1. Click Start and then click Server Manager.

2. In Roles Summary, click Add Roles.

3. If necessary, review the information on the Before You Begin page and then click Next.

4. On the Select Server Roles page, click the Active Directory Domain Services check box, and then click Next.

5. If necessary, review the information on the Active Directory Domain Services page and then click Next.

6. On the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install.

7. On the Installation Results page, click Close this wizard and launch the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard (dcpromo.exe).

8. On the Welcome to the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard page, click Next.

   If you want to install from media, identify the source domain controller for AD DS replication, or specify the Password Replication Policy for an RODC as part of the installation of the additional domain controller, select Use advanced mode installation.

9. On the Operating System Compatibility page, review the warning about the default security settings for Windows Server 2008 domain controllers and then click Next.

10. On the Choose a Deployment Configuration page, click Existing forest, click Add a domain controller to an existing domain, and then click Next.

11. On the Network Credentials page, type the name of any existing domain in the forest where you plan to install the additional domain controller. Under Specify the account credentials to use to perform the installation, click My current logged on credentials or click Alternate credentials, and then click Set. In the Windows Security dialog box, provide the user name and password for an account that can install the additional domain controller. To install an additional domain controller, you must be a member of the Enterprise Admins group or the Domain Admins group. When you are finished providing credentials, click Next.

12. On the Select a Domain page, select the domain of the new domain controller, and then click Next.

13. On the Select a Site page, select a site from the list or select the option to install the domain controller in the site that corresponds to its IP address, and then click Next.

14. On the Additional Domain Controller Options page, make the following selections, and then click Next:

    • DNS server: This option is selected by default so that your domain controller can function as a DNS server. If you do not want the domain controller to be a DNS server, clear this option.
      

      Note

      If you select the option to install DNS server, you might receive a message that indicates that a DNS delegation for the DNS server could not be created and that you should manually create a DNS delegation to the DNS server to ensure reliable name resolution. If you are installing an additional domain controller in either the forest root domain or a tree root domain, you do not need to create the DNS delegation. In this case, click Yes and disregard the message.

    • Global Catalog: This option is selected by default. It adds the global catalog, read-only directory partitions to the domain controller, and it enables global catalog search functionality.
      
    • Read-only domain controller. This option is not selected by default. It makes the additional domain controller read only.
      

15. If you selected Use advanced mode installation on the Welcome page, the Install from Media page appears. You can provide the location of installation media to be used to create the domain controller and configure AD DS, or you can have all of the replication done over the network. Note that some data will be replicated over the network even if you install from media. For information about using this method to install the domain controller, see Installing AD DS from Media.

16. If you selected Use advanced mode installation on the Welcome page, the Source Domain Controller page appears. Click Let the wizard choose an appropriate domain controller or click Use this specific domain controller to specify a domain controller that you want to provide as a source for replication to create the new domain controller, and then click Next. If you do not choose to install from media, all data will be replicated from this source domain controller.

17. On the Location for Database, Log Files, and SYSVOL page, type or browse to the volume and folder locations for the database file, the directory service log files, and the system volume (SYSVOL) files, and then click Next.

    Windows Server Backup backs up the directory service by volume. For backup and recovery efficiency, store these files on separate volumes that do not contain applications or other nondirectory files.

18. On the Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Password page, type and confirm the restore mode password, and then click Next. This password must be used to start AD DS in Directory Service Restore Mode for tasks that must be performed offline.

19. On the Summary page, review your selections. Click Back to change any selections, if necessary.

    To save the settings that you have selected to an answer file that you can use to automate subsequent AD DS operations, click Export settings. Type the name for your answer file, and then click Save.

    When you are sure that your selections are accurate, click Next to install AD DS.

20. On the Completing the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard page, click Finish.

21. You can either select the Reboot on completion check box to have the server restart automatically or you can restart the server to complete the AD DS installation when you are prompted to do so.