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Installing a New Windows Server 2008 Child Domain by Using the Command Line

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

Use the following procedure to perform an unattended installation of a new child domain from the command line. For a complete list of unattended installation options, including default values, allowed values, and descriptions, type dcpromo /?:Promotion at a command prompt, or see Promotion Operation.

Administrative credentials

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Enterprise Admins group in the forest.

To install a new child domain by entering unattended installation parameters at the command line

  1. At a command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

    dcpromo /unattend /<unattendOption>:<value> /<unattendOption>:<value> ...

    Where:

    • unattendOption is an option in the Promotion Operation table. Separate each option:value pair with a space.

    • value is the configuration instruction for the option.

    The following example creates the first domain controller in a new child domain where you expect to install only domain controllers that run Windows Server 2008 R2:

    dcpromo /unattend /InstallDns:yes /ParentDomainDNSName:<contoso.com> /replicaOrNewDomain:domain /newDomain:child /newDomainDnsName:<noam.contoso.com> /childName:<noam> /DomainNetbiosName:<noam> /databasePath:"<e:\Windows\ntds>" /logPath:"<e:\Windows\ntds>" /sysvolpath:"<e:\Windows\sysvol>" /safeModeAdminPassword:<FH#3573.cK> /forestLevel:4 /domainLevel:4 /rebootOnCompletion:yes

  2. When you have typed all the options that are required to create the child domain, press ENTER.