UNATTENDED INSTALLATION OF ACTIVE DIRECTORY DOMAIN SERVICES

INTRODUCTION:

The answer file is a plain text file with a [DCInstall] header. 
The answer file provides answers to the questions that are asked by the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard. Using the answer file eliminates the need for an administrator to interact with the wizard. The Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard adds text to the answer file that explains how to use it, such as how to invoke it with the dcpromo command and which settings must be updated to use it. 
Open notepad and type the following and save it inside drive C:\

[DCInstall]
; New forest promotion
ReplicaOrNewDomain=Domain
NewDomain=Forest                  
NewDomainDNSName=keteku.net
ForestLevel=3
DomainNetbiosName=keteku
DomainLevel=3
InstallDNS=Yes
ConfirmGc=Yes
CreateDNSDelegation=No
DatabasePath="C:\Windows\NTDS"
LogPath="C:\Windows\NTDS"
SYSVOLPath="C:\Windows\SYSVOL"
SafeModeAdminPassword=passwd@1**
RebootOnCompletion=Yes 

 To use an answer file to install AD DS, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER
 dcpromo.exe /unattend:C:\answer_file.txt

answer_file.txt is the name of the answer file created above:

 

                              DETAILED EXPLANATION

• NewDomainDNSName=keteku.net , make sure that you replace keteku.net with the domain name you want.
• ForestLevel=3 , This mean the Forest Functional Level will be set to Windows Server 2008, if you want to set it for Windows Server 2003, then set it to 2, whereas Windows 2000 Serve level is = 1
• DomainNetbiosName=KETEKU , this is the NETBIOS name of my domain keteku.net , replace it with your Domain name NETBIOS name
• DomainLevel=3, this means the Domain Functional Level will be set to Windows Server 2008, if you want to set it for Windows Server 2003, then set it to 2, whereas Windows 2000 Serve level is = 1
• InstallDNS=Yes, DNS Service will be installed on your DC, if you do not wish to setup you DC as a DNS Server as well, then set it to NO
• DatabasePath="C:\Windows\NTDS"
  LogPath="C:\Windows\NTDS"
  SYSVOLPath="C:\Windows\SYSVOL"
  
  Either change the path where each of the above will be stored or keep them as they are by default.
• SafeModeAdminPassword=passwd@1**, the password should meet the password complexity requirements of the password policy, that is a password that contains a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols

 Now that you have customized the answer file, lets run it and enjoy a cup of coffee which is my favorite; while the server is being setup to be our first Domain Controller

1. Run the answer file , I have saved the answer file inside the C: drive, so i will run it using :  dcpromo.exe /unattend:C:\answer_file.txt
   
   
   
   
2. The installation of AD DS will start with first checking if Active Directory Domain Services binaries are installed
   
   
   
   
3. The system will start checking if Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) binaries are installed, then will start installing them. The binaries could be installed if you had run the dcpromo command previously and then canceled the operation after the binaries were installed.
   
   
   
   
4. Validating environment and parameters ..
   
   
   
   
5. DNS Installation will start as we have the InstallDNS=Yes in the answer file
   
   
   
   
6. When the DNS Server service installation is completed, the system will check if Group Policy Management Console (GMPC) is installed or not, then will start installing it if it was not found to be installed previously
   
   
   
   
7. Creating the SYSVOL folder, configuring the local computer to host Active Directory Domain Service by creating the directory partition
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Then will start creating AD objects, and then Completing AD installation
   
   
   
   
9. Few services will be configured, and security configurations as well
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. Once the setup is completed, the server will automatically reboot (RebootOnCompletion=Yes )

Summary
Performing an unattended installation using an answer file is easy and can be performed without any user interaction, using the answer file eliminates the need for an administrator to interact with the wizard, and can be used to automate subsequent installations of Active Directory Domain Services.
Thank you guys..