Install a domain controller

To install a domain controller

Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Configure Your Server.
Click Active Directory, and click Start to start the Active Directory Installation wizard.
Follow the instructions in the Active Directory Installation wizard.

note Note

To open the Active Directory Installation wizard, click Start, click Run, and then type dcpromo.
This procedure cannot be performed on Windows Professional, since a Windows Professional computer cannot be a domain controller. The Configure Your Server menu option and the dcpromo command are not available on a Windows Professional computer.
When installing a domain controller, you must decide whether or not to implement pre-Windows 2000 compatible security. For more information, see Promoting domain controllers
Before using the Active Directory Installation wizard:
- Review Checklist: Installing a domain controller
- Obtain the network credentials needed to create a domain. These credentials are the logon name of a user account, the account password, and domain name. The user account must have sufficient administrative privileges to create a domain controller.
- Decide which type of domain controller you want to create: either Additional domain controller for an existing domain or Domain controller for a new domain.
  If you are creating a domain controller for a new domain, decide whether the domain will be the first domain in a new forest, the first domain in a new domain tree in an existing forest, or a child domain in an existing domain tree. For more information about domains, domain trees and forests, see Related Topics.
Identify the DNS name of the domain