Install an Additional Domain Controller by Using Unattend Parameters from the Command Line

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

You can use the following procedure to install a new domain controller from the command line. In this method of installation, you type unattended installation parameters at the command line rather than creating an answer file. For a complete list of unattended installation options, including default values, allowed values, and descriptions, type dcpromo /?:Promotion at a command prompt, or see Promotion Operation (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=120626).

Membership in Domain Admins, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

To install an additional domain controller by entering unattended installation parameters at the command line

  • At a command prompt, type the following command. When you have typed all the options that are required to create the additional domain controller, press ENTER.

    dcpromo /unattend /<unattendOption>:<value> /<unattendOption>:<value> ...

    Where:

    • <unattendOption> is an option in the Promotion Operation table. Separate each <option:value> pair with a space.

    • <value> is the configuration instruction for the option.

    The following example creates an additional domain controller with the global catalog, and it installs and configures the DNS Server service:

    dcpromo /unattend /InstallDns:yes /confirmGC:yes /replicaOrNewDomain:replica /databasePath:"e:\ntds" /logPath:"e:\ntdslogs" /sysvolpath:"g:\sysvol" /safeModeAdminPassword:FH#3573.cK /rebootOnCompletion:yes