Windows Server 2012 is a bit pushy...

[mikeymikec]

After the initial OS setup, you reach the Start screen, then a configuration program terminates Explorer and insists that you set up the network hardware, adapter and connect the network cable before you do anything else, then proceeds to demand that you either set the machine up as a new domain controller or immediately start setting it up as a DC for a current domain.

The program gives no option to quit, set up later, or anything like that. In the end I did Ctrl+Alt+Del, then used Task Manager to terminate the setup program.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

really? that's strange. what if you want it to be a regular ol' file server?
i've never heard of that before!

 

[owensdj]

I've never seen that either. After doing a base install you should see Server Manager dashboard after logging in with the local Administrator password you gave it during the install. Did you do a fresh(Custom) install or an Upgrade install?

 

[Dahak]

You sure you are not using essentials, as that sound exactly how it starts up.

for server 2012 it should be normal, at the start screen, will get the desktop and server manager windows

 

[mikeymikec]

Yep, Essentials. But why would there be a difference?


Clean install.

 

[Dahak]

With Server Essentials it is required to make a domain, which is the reason why its prompting you to do so.

its sort of a replacement for the old Small Business versions

 

[mikeymikec]

Even then, I don't know about you but there's a load of things I want to do first before I connect a machine to a domain let alone make it a DC.

I wonder whether MS think that all sysadmins are the sort of prats like a guy I used to work with, when he was installing a new Win2k IIS server, the first thing he would do was to give it a direct connection to the Internet. This was in the days of the Code Red / nimda type worms, so you can guess what happened next.

What was wrong with Start > Run > DCPROMO, or say a desktop shortcut to start it?

 

[Dahak]

Because Server Essentials is targeted towards small offices usually that has one guy that has some experience with computers and don't have a dedicated IT team to manage it.
Usually offices below 20-25 people.

So for these people who do not have much experience with setting up a domain / server / file serve. this is why it starts with creating the domain and such.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Because Server Essentials is targeted towards small offices usually that has one guy that has some experience with computers and don't have a dedicated IT team to manage it.
Usually offices below 20-25 people.

So for these people who do not have much experience with setting up a domain / server / file serve. this is why it starts with creating the domain and such.

M$ produces a "Resource Toolkit" bible for every desktop/workstation OS version. They always came with a disc of utility programs. Do they have such a tome for the server flavors?

 

[imagoon]

After the initial OS setup, you reach the Start screen, then a configuration program terminates Explorer and insists that you set up the network hardware, adapter and connect the network cable before you do anything else, then proceeds to demand that you either set the machine up as a new domain controller or immediately start setting it up as a DC for a current domain.

The program gives no option to quit, set up later, or anything like that. In the end I did Ctrl+Alt+Del, then used Task Manager to terminate the setup program.

I am in the middle of 2012 up lifts and have never seen what you are talking about.

 

[Dahak]

I am in the middle of 2012 up lifts and have never seen what you are talking about.

Are you using Server 2012 Standard/Enterprise or Server 2012/R2 Essentials. As I mentioned above this only shows up in Essential, which the OP is using, as it is designed to replace the SBS versions, which require a domain setup at first install

If you are using Server 2012/R2 Standard/Enterprise you will not see this.

 

[imagoon]

Are you using Server 2012 Standard/Enterprise or Server 2012/R2 Essentials. As I mentioned above this only shows up in Essential, which the OP is using, as it is designed to replace the SBS versions, which require a domain setup at first install

If you are using Server 2012/R2 Standard/Enterprise you will not see this.

Yeah I saw that later in the thread but didn't edit my post. Guess it doesn't matter much early on. 2012 technically supports AD on dhcp. You could let the wizard do its thing then change the settings to what you want later then reboot etc. I guess it would be better if you could patch first though.

 

[Gunbuster]

Server Essentials is positioned for small businesses. If you want the big boy tools do the basic research and select the right one.

This is like complaining that microsoft makes both a claw hammer and a nailgun and it's their pushy fault that you showed up to a big roofing job with just the claw hammer.

 

[mikeymikec]

Server Essentials is positioned for small businesses. If you want the big boy tools do the basic research and select the right one.

This is like complaining that microsoft makes both a claw hammer and a nailgun and it's their pushy fault that you showed up to a big roofing job with just the claw hammer.

Nice.

What I did was to try and find the cheapest version of Server 2012 that I could use as a domain controller, as it's for a very small business which is using a very old DC which obviously isn't going to last forever (Win2k Server). I couldn't see anything feature-wise to justify spending twice the price, and the other alternative was to rip out all the domain infrastructure and set up multi-user file sharing.

And your tool analogy makes no sense in this respect.