# Build a Domain Controller

If you do not have rights to create a GPO in Active Directory, or you do not use Active Directory, you can easily build one in a Virtual Machine.

Create a new Virtual Machine without External Network Access (you don't want to see your Production Network). You can add a Network Adapter with 'Internal' to access your PC if necessary

## Install Windows Server 2016 Standard (Desktop Experience) <a href="#install-windows-server-2016-standard-desktop-experience" id="install-windows-server-2016-standard-desktop-experience"></a>

Take the Defaults

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSJGYkwXSlM0XGjrNL%2F2018-08-21_11-28-05.png?alt=media\&token=23d6e53e-d75a-4146-b761-a7d9bb04bd88)

Select Windows Server 2016 Standard (Desktop Experience)

## Rename Your Server <a href="#rename-your-server" id="rename-your-server"></a>

Choose a friendly name

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSKYgYuc67Eu3NaPPV%2F2018-08-21_11-33-43.png?alt=media\&token=b222442e-1be8-41d1-8058-9eb87ebc6bf7)

## Add Roles and Features <a href="#add-roles-and-features" id="add-roles-and-features"></a>

Add Active Directory Domain Services

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSMCZw2HOpFmHDRxAc%2F2018-08-21_11-37-26.png?alt=media\&token=3ff857f3-c7e1-4b7e-9f17-da47f2652123)

Group Policy Management Feature should automatically be selected

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSML5grgjbd_OmG-zD%2F2018-08-21_11-37-35.png?alt=media\&token=3b2c694d-f7b6-425e-b4c9-7a47c0acc94e)

Promote the server to a domain controller

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSMY7FIaWPqIyOONOP%2F2018-08-21_11-39-12.png?alt=media\&token=96bd9607-2e07-4150-9c28-3ca661f35052)

Add a new forest and specify a Root domain name (make one up)

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSMeiY4tenmOKU0kmQ%2F2018-08-21_11-39-55.png?alt=media\&token=ab13d77c-c375-4269-8086-80d23b6d8677)

Set the DSRM password

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSMlAublC68jqCd9RJ%2F2018-08-21_11-40-15.png?alt=media\&token=87677b49-504d-44bb-8bf3-3a297d60056d)

Press Next on the next few screens

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSMwcMsl4s9Q6l5Ja3%2F2018-08-21_11-40-43.png?alt=media\&token=63b05f18-fe63-4033-9856-dcdab603108e)

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSMzWB6DURXgHuXvTK%2F2018-08-21_11-40-59.png?alt=media\&token=31f65871-0fae-4512-9068-272bbcfc721e)

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSNHpXlpQxL4HcaKZ8%2F2018-08-21_11-45-07.png?alt=media\&token=bdea3311-fd2f-47a2-948d-28db44ce258e)

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSNNncFUH8s7-yGh2A%2F2018-08-21_11-45-19.png?alt=media\&token=43dbf7f1-6780-4f4b-8ef7-edf03253e2db)

Press Install

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSNRkbSTIitTP63d9V%2F2018-08-21_11-45-49.png?alt=media\&token=607b0f13-d7c5-4035-8055-aa358fe6ed53)

A Restart will be required to complete the installation

![](https://blobscdn.gitbook.com/v0/b/gitbook-28427.appspot.com/o/assets%2F-LDKRxGiKLYjW1gana2O%2F-LKSHEyCM5JQm-MmCW_s%2F-LKSNtFB-1ZbTU_RJTA0%2F2018-08-21_11-48-23.png?alt=media\&token=636a84cb-2208-42e2-ab3d-cb72c6c0428d)

​