I agree that more people than I would have thought get tripped up by this process. DNS gets screwed up, the domain name is wrong, etc.
The link Steve posted is helpful. Plus, make a investment and get the Windows 2000 Server Resource Kit - it truly is worth it. Loads of excellent info, and a ton of material on AD.
Also, spend time searching the Microsoft Knowledge Base and the Windows 2000 Server sites:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win2000/win2ksrv/
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win2000/win2ksrv/add.asp
DNS info for Active Directory:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win2000/win2ksrv/dnsreq.asp
http://support.microsoft.com/support/win2000/dns.asp
Finally, here are the things to remember in random order:
1) Don't install the DNS server before working with DCPROMO. If it's installed, uninstall it so any settings are removed
2) Don't think of it as "installing AD." What you are doing is creating a Windows 2000 domain controller. A W2K DC uses Active Directory.
3) When asked for DNS names, you are being asked to name the domain. You can use your external internet name, like coppersoftware.com, which is what I do. If you are concerned about hacking, you can keep your domain inside and name it home.coppersoftware.com. I prefer using geographical based child domains.
4) AD is very sensitive to the DNS configuration. The best way is to allow DCPROMO do all the work. However, if you make changes to DNS afterwards, make notes of what settings you had. A simple change may prevent clients or the DC from being able to find services that are referenced in DNS.
5) If the server takes a long, long time to boot, particularly at the "Network connections..." stage, that's a indication that the DNS configuration is incorrect.
Good luck and let us know how you do.
Charles Oppermann
Author, "Microsoft Windows 2000 Active Directory Programming"
http://www.coppersoftware.com/
-----Original Message-----
From: Abbiss, Mark [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2001 7:19 AM
To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'
Subject: [ActiveDir] Installing AD on a new win2000 server
Dear List,
Please can someone point me in the direction to get CLEAR and UNAMBIGUOUS
instructions on how to install AD on a new (not upgraded) version of windows
2000 server.
The installation of the server itself was very straightforward but using the
"Configure Your Server" wizard to upgrade the server to a DC and install AD
refuses to work. It keeps falling down at the DNS stage. I have seen a
mention in the FAQ that you do not need to install DNS to have AD but I have
no idea how ?!
The basic installation of 2000 Server does not put the machine into a
domain. My test machine will be the first and only machine in the domain and
therefore I need to move it from the workgroup it currently is sitting in to
a domain...but how can I do that without having DNS installed.
I plead with you all....is there anywhere that I can get an idiots guide to
setting up my new machine with windows 2000 server and AD....I never had
this much trouble with NT 4.0 !!
Cheers
Mark
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