A. Windows 2003 includes a new wizard for installing and configuring DNS, which means you no longer have to perform these tasks before adding a new domain. If you have a new server and you want to create a new domain, perform the following steps:
Start the DCPROMO wizard--go to Start, Run, then type
DCPROMO
At the introduction screen, click Next.
When you see the warning that Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 SP3 and earlier versions won't be able to log on to Windows 2003 domain controllers (DCs), click Next.
When the wizard asks you whether this domain is a new domain or an additional DC for an existing domain, select "Domain controller for a new domain," then click Next. Click here to view image
Select the appropriate forest option (i.e., domain in a new forest, a child domain of an existing domain tree, a new domain tree in an existing forest), then click Next. (If you select anything other than "Domain in a new forest," the wizard will prompt you to enter the name of the parent/forest domain and an account for the forest.)
If the wizard determines that DNS isn't correctly configured, it will ask you to either configure the DNS client or let the DCPROMO process install and configure DNS. Select "No, just install and configure DNS on this computer," then click Next.
Enter the DNS name for the new domain (e.g., savilltech.com), then click Next. Click here to view the figure
When the wizard asks you to supply a NetBIOS name for backward compatibility with older clients and servers, accept the default (typically the left half of the DNS domain name) or provide another NetBIOS name, then click Next.
After the wizard displays the locations for the database and log files (by default, these components are located in the \%systemroot%\NTDS folder), click Next.
After the wizard displays the location of the System Volume (SYSVOL) folder (by default, this folder is located under %systemroot%), click Next.
When the wizard asks you to establish permissions for the new domain, you have two options: "Permissions compatible with pre-Windows 2000 server operating systems" or "Permissions compatible only with Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 operating systems." Select the appropriate permissions for your domain, then click Next. Click here to view image
When the wizard asks you to enter a Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Password, type the password in both locations as requested, then click Next. Make sure you remember this password--Windows 2003 requires that you provide this credential if you encounter a problem and need to restore Active Directory (AD) or the system state.
When the wizard presents a summary of the options you've selected, ensure that everything is as it should be, then click Next.
The DCPROMO process will begin. (If you asked the wizard to install DNS, the system might prompt you for the Windows 2003 installation media.) When the process completes, the system will display a confirmation dialog box. Click Finish, then restart the machine for the changes to take effect.
This procedure should give you a good grounding for any DCPROMO action you might need to perform.
End of Article
Dam Good. I dont think even microsoft site has such detailed discription.
austin vincent December 27, 2003
Excellent
Crepin May 25, 2004
WOW... you made it mad simple. My eyes are open now... Thanks a million
Darryl Stevens June 23, 2004
Excellent article
Amol June 24, 2004
Is there anyway to run 2 domains off of one domain controler?
Thanks in advance
wymana August 04, 2004 (Article Rating: )
wymana,you can't run two domains on one DC but you can setup another domain suffix on a domain controller and then setup a user as joeuser@domain.com or joeuser@niamod.moc if that is the other domain suffix whose chose. To accomplish this, open active directory domains and trusts, right click the root (active directory domains and trusts) and select properties. You will see a properties dilog box with one tab named UPN (User Pricipal Name) suffixes and a text box named alternative UPN suffixes and an add and a remove button. This will enable you to add users with either UPN suffix, but it's still really only one domain. after you run dcpromo once, the only option when you run it again, is to demote the domain controller. By the way, very good article John, but I think Microsoft should get some of the credit. They really nailed it this time, It's foolproof if you let dcpromo install and configure DNS for you.
Justinpaul August 24, 2004 (Article Rating: )
Hi This has been a really good article.
Thanks for posting. Hemanth
Anonymous User December 15, 2004
It was ar nice articale with full of information. Thanks.
Anonymous User January 05, 2005 (Article Rating: )
You guys can get more info on www.VisualWin.com.
Thanks for this article thou.
Anonymous User February 23, 2005
can multiple domains be set up on one controller, as seperate trees? and can they be used as email address, for an email server?
I want to set up 2 domains, one for my company and one to create email addresses to sell to customers for a fee. So I think I can create 2 seperate trees, one has by business domain and the second has a domain for email addresses for the public. Can this be done on one server, under one controller?
If so, how does the user name (before the @ sign in an email address) be created? can it be set up as POP3, IMAP or a webmail access?
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austin vincent December 27, 2003