After reading various articles, i decided to try my hands on windows 8 developer edition too. I managed to download the vhd file available on the MSDN, created the VM using Vmware virtual machine 8 workstation to configure domain controller on windows 8. Trying to promote the server as a DC, i thought of older way running it in run box, but i was not able to locate it and i can’t see anywhere to get it on my home screen. I tried to disable Metro interface first, since it is more suitable to the mobile devices then on servers desktop.

I then tried to look for the run/cmd window again i was not able to find those to disable metro UI. I was finally able to open windows explorer and typed cmd and wohaa..its poped it out and in same windows explorer, by typing regedit, it too appeared and finally able to disable metro UI locating below registry path.

Locate  HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorer

Disable RPEnabled key to “0” from “1″ shown in below image and to revert the setting configure the value back to “0″.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now i got classic Start menu interface which I’m used to it. Then, i tried to configure AD using DCPROMO and i received below error. From the error it is understandable that you can’t execute dcpromo directly from run or cmd and you need to first install AD role from the server manager.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Open Server manager > Click Add role > Select check mark Active Directory Domain Services, click next select all default option and click finish. DO NOT check to install install DNS server at this time as this will give you error during prerequisite check and ultimately failing the dcpromo on the server. We will be installing DNS server service at the later stage.

You need to go to the dashboard and under roles and server groups , you will see  Roles listed. Click on more in-front of configuration requirement under Active Directory domain services.

 

If you notice in below image, you will find there is faded text written as “promote this server to a domain controller”. It took more than 10 mins to me to locate this option, firstly i need to scroll towards right and its was almost hidden.

 

 

Once i clicked on the “promote this server to a domain controller”, i got below screen and started my configuration.

 

 

I clicked next to proceed, but once i reached the windows to confirm installation, i found it has not provided me the option to configure Netbios name option. So, the fact is you can’t choose netbios name in the GUI, you need to use powershell script for that.

In the below screenshot the prerequisite is complete without any error and now click on the install button.

 

 

 

Close the console and server will be rebooted. Now the server is Domain Controller now…Enjoy playing with AD Now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Windows 8 promised to offer lot more then previous version of the OS and it is going to be a revolution for the powershell users. Few features related with AD and windows 8 are:

• Remote DCPROMO capability.
• Running adprep on particular FSMO role will not be required in windows 8.
• GUI Interface for AD Recycle and fine grained password policy.
• Virtualization aware Domain controllers means virtualizing the domain controller using image or snapshot will not be issue any more.
• GUI can be turned on and off.
• Troubleshooting Replication cmdlets will be available  in the powersheell.
• Forcing group policy to single or multiple clients.
• New file format Refs (Resilient file system) support in the windows 8 .
• AD DS integration with Server manager console.
• Adprep is provided as a inbuilt functionality.

 

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.