• FQDN: server.local
• NetBIOS domain name: SERVER
  

This script creates a new AD forest with those values and sets the DSRM password non-interactively.

✅ Final AD Promotion Script (Anonymised)

# Install Active Directory Domain Services role
Install-WindowsFeature AD-Domain-Services

# Promote to new AD forest (FQDN: server.local, NetBIOS: SERVER)
Install-ADDSForest `
  -DomainName "server.local" `
  -DomainNetbiosName "SERVER" `
  -InstallDNS `
  -SafeModeAdministratorPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString "OurSecurePasswordHere" -AsPlainText -Force)

🧾 Notes to Customise Before Running

• Replace "OurSecurePasswordHere" with your desired Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) password
• Run the script from an elevated PowerShell prompt (Run as Administrator)
• Ensure the server has:
  
• Static IP or DHCP reservation (LATTER IS MY PREFERRED TO AVOID CONFLICTS)
• Correct system time
• Tailscale running
• Suitable hostname
  

🔍 Post-Promotion Validation (after reboot)

After the server reboots, run:

Get-ADDomain
Get-ADForest
dcdiag
Get-DnsServerZone

follow-ups:

• Create the shared folder
• Add the SMB share
• Configure folder redirection via GPO