Yes, I decided to recreate an entire lab using Windows 8 and Windows 8 Server Developer Preview bits. And I believe the best thing to do first is to promote a server as a Domain Controller and creating a new forest with it.
Here is some step-by-step screenshots that I made on how it was configured:
Logon as the server administrator
On the Server Manager, click add roles:
Next.
I have chosen the role based or feature based installation as I only wanted to install and configure ADDS.
Select the server and click next.
On Select Server Roles, select Active Directory Domain Services. Click Next.
Add Required Fields.
Click Next.
Click Next Again.
Again, Next.
Choose Yes.
Click Install and wait to finish.
After the installation has finished, click “Promote this server to a domain controller”. To launch another wizard to configure your ADDS.
I have creted a new forest here.
There is a new Domain Functional Level called “Windows Server 8” but this is not supported.
I have tried to use that functional level however after reading the blow post on socials, I have reverted back to Windows Server 2008 R2 Functional Level.
Not in production so C:\ is fine.
Review and click Next.
Wait till finish.
The pre-requisites check runs and completes, if there are no errors, you may now be able to click “Install”.
And more waiting..
On finish, click close and a force restart will take place.
Logon as the domain user! You now have a DC running on Windows 8!
So far so good on the Hyper-V console, seems this its only needing 584MB of RAM now.
On logon, the Server Manager will launch again.
Upon refresh you will now see the new roles installed on the dashboard.
And on start, you will see the installed roles and features.
I have always used the Admin Center so, I launched it thru start.
Time to add new users:
Domains and trusts launched.
This is my FUTURE WDS server, for now its just a lonely server not joined to a domain. I syspreped this because it was a cloned VM. Now I want to join this to the newly created domain.
All I have to do is launch the control panel or the windows explorer.
On Control Panel Click System and Security.
Click Set the name of this computer.
or on windows explorer, click computer and click on the ribbon, system properties.
Yes folks, context aware Ribbon for Explorer.
On System window, click change settings besides the computer name.
Like what we do on Windows Vista and Windows 7, just click change.
and enter the computer name and the domain. Click Okay and it will pop-up an authentication box.
Provide some credentials, normally a user that can join a PC in a domain, for this example I am using administrator, overkill yes, convenient yes yes! Do in production, heck-NO.
Welcome! Click Ok. and it will restart.
its 2:27, we have to sleep yo.
to logon in the Domain, Click the left arrow.
Click Other User.
Use a domain credential.
And there you have it, new domain controller on new domain plus a client joined!
Stay tuned!