To configure Windows Server 2008 Core to be the first Domain Controller (DC) in a new Active Directory (AD) Domain Services (DS) Forest, you must configure some prerequisites such as Rename the Computer with NetDom, Configure the Network Interface with NetSh, and Install the DNS Server Role with OCSetup.
Use notepad to create an unattend.txt installation file for use with the DCPromo command-line utility per your requirements. For this example we will be creating the first Domain Controller in a new Forest. Read the Microsoft support article on DCPromo Unattended Installation File Syntax for information on Child Domains, New Trees, Demotions, and more.
Create Unattended Installation File
notepad unattend.txt
Unattended Installation File Template
[DCINSTALL]
InstallDNS=yes
NewDomain=forest
NewDomainDNSName=<The fully qualified Domain Name System (DNS) name>
DomainNetBiosName=<First label of the fully qualified DNS name>
SiteName=<Default-First-Site-Name>
ReplicaOrNewDomain=domain
ForestLevel=<The forest functional level number>
DomainLevel=<The domain functional level number>
DatabasePath="<The path of a folder on a local volume>"
LogPath="<The path of a folder on a local volume>"
RebootOnCompletion=yes
SysVolPath="<The path of a folder on a local volume>"
SafeModeAdminPassword=<The password for an offline administrator account>
Execute the DCPromo command and pass the unattend.txt file as an argument to begin the process of promoting the computer to an Active Directory Domain Controller. You will be required to reboot after the promotion is complete. Read the Microsoft support article on DCPromo Command Syntax for information about advanced command-line usage.
Domain Controller Promotion
dcpromo /unattend:unattend.txt
Reboot System
shutdown -r -t 0
After the system is rebooted you will be asked to login with the domain administrator account. It will have same password as the local administrator account. Once you have logged in you should use the Net command-line utility to change the domain administrator password. Read the Microsoft support article on Net User Command Syntax for more information.
Change Domain Administrator Password
net user administrator *
Verify that your new Domain Controller is working properly by using the Directory Services Query command-line tool to perform a sample lookup or two. Refer to the Microsoft support article on DSQuery Command Syntax if you would like to learn more about this command.
Directory Services Queries
dsquery site
dsquery server
dsquery ou
dsquery computer
dsquery user
Check for the existence of DNS zones with the DNSCmd utility. Read the Microsoft support article on DNSCmd Command Syntax if you would like to learn more.
View DNS Zones
dnscmd /enumzones
Run the Domain Controller Diagnostic to check the installation. Read the Microsoft support article on DCDiag Command Syntax to learn more about this valuable diagnostic command-line tool.
Domain Controller Diagnostic
dcdiag /q
Examine the system Event Log for problems using the Windows Event Log Utility. Read the Microsoft article on WEvtUtil Command Syntax for more information.
View Last 10 Entries from the System Event Log
wevtutil qe system /c:10 /rd /f:text | more
Confirm that the SysVol and NetLogon shares have been established by using the Net command-line utility. Read the Microsoft article on Net Share Command Syntax for more information.
View Local File Shares
net share
