How to Setup Active Directory Domain
With VirtualBox and Join Computers –
Part 1
In this step by step, I will teach you how to setup active directory
directory services with a domain using VirtualBox. The demos are
based on Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10.
1. Install VirtualBox and add Virtual Machines
Step 1 – Download and install VirtualBox VM. Get it free from here.
Step 2 – Download Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10
Enterprise. I’m using the 90 days trial version. I think this is enough
time to get used to it.
Get Windows Server here
Get Windows 10 here
Make sure the download the ISO files. Save them in a folder
Step 3 – Open the VirtualBox and click on the New button
Step 4 – Enter the name. Then choose the type and version as
shown below.
Step 5 – Set the Memory Size to 2048 MB
Step 6 – Ensure the ‘Create a virtual hard disk now‘ is selected
under disk. Click Create.
Step 7 – Choose VDI(VirtualBox Disk Image) in the ‘Hard disk file
type’ and also select ‘Dynamically allocated’
Step 8 – Set the Hard disk size to 30GB
2. Install Windows Server 2019 on the new Virtual Machine
Now we would use the ISO file we downloaded to install Windows
Server 2019 in the new virtual machine we created. Follow the steps
Step 1 – Start the new Virtual Machine (Right-click > Start)
Step 2 – Select the ISO file you downloaded and click Start
Step 3 – Follow the onscreen prompt to install windows. Ensure to
choose ‘Windows Server 2019 Standard Evaluation(Desktop
Experience)”
Also ensure to choose Custom Install from the next screen. Then
wait for the installation to complete
Step 4 – Choose an Admin password in the Customize setting
window as shown. Click next to complete the installation
Step 5 – Now you can log on to Windows. The Server Manager
Dashboard opens up as shown below.
Step 6 – First install ‘Virtual Box Guest Additions’. This would allow
you to set the VM screen to full screen. See the video.
Server Manager Dashboard
3. Configure the Active Directory Directory Services(AD DS)
Now we would set up this computer as a domain controller. We do
this by installing the AD DS role to the server.
Step 1 – Click on Add Role and Features in the Dashboard. This
opens the Add Roles and Features Wizard.
Add Roles and Features Wizard
Step 2 – Click on Next > Next until you have a list of Features
Step 3 – In the list, check Active Directory Directory Services as
shown below
Step 4 – Then complete the installation by clicking on Next > Next
until the installation completes.
4. Create a Domain and Configure the Domain Controller
To complete the process of creating a domain, we need to promote
the sever to a domain controller. Follow the steps below to do that.
Step 1 – Click on the yellow triangle at the upper right and click
‘Promote this server to domain controller’. The ‘Active Directory
Domain Services Configuration Wizard’ opens up as shown below
Step 2 – Click on ‘Add a new forest’ and enter a name for the
domain and add .local suffix. For this example, I’m using KTG.local
Creating a new Forest
Step 3 – Click on next and then enter a password. Click Next
Don’t worry about DNS because it would choose it’s own
Step 4 – Allow the default Netbios domain name which is the same
same but without .local suffix.
Click on Next to complete the installation. Allow the system to
restart.
Step 5 – You can now login with KTG\Adminstrator. Enter the
password you set.
At this point, you have created a domain as well as a domain
controller. Congrats!
