Active Directory Data Storage

Unattended Setup for Installation or Removal of Active Directory

You can use an answer file to run the Active Directory Installation Wizard without your having to be present for interactive responses. Create the answer file, and then run it at a command prompt on the installation computer. The instructions for creating the answer file are located in the "Microsoft Windows 2000 Guide to Unattended Setup" (Unattend.doc) on the Windows 2000 operating system CD. The Unattend.doc file is part of the Deploy.cab file in the \Support\Tools folder. In Windows 98 or Windows 2000, use Windows Explorer to extract this document. In Windows 95 and earlier, or from MS-DOS, use the Extract command to open the file. You can save the Unattend.doc file by any name in any convenient location.

The answer text file contains all of the parameters that the Active Directory Installation Wizard needs to install Active Directory, including the domain type (additional or new domain) and the configuration of the domain that is being created (new forest, new tree root, or new child). Add the parameter values to the answer file.

An answer file can be used to install Windows 2000 Server and can include the installation of Active Directory. Alternatively, you can create an answer file that contains only the [DCInstall] section of the Unattend.doc file. This answer file can be run after Windows 2000 Server Setup is complete and after you have logged on to the system. To run the answer file, at the command prompt, type the following:

dcpromo /answer: <answer_file>

In addition to instructions for creating an answer file, the Unattend.doc file contains sample answer files for installing Active Directory. For more information about using answer files, see "Automating Server Installation and Upgrade" in the Deployment Planning Guide.