Use PowerShell to add an additional Domain Controller to an existing Windows Server 2012 Active Directory Domain

Recently, I decided to add a second domain controller to my mikefrobbins.com domain. The existing server and this new server that will become a domain controller both run the Microsoft Windows Server 2012 operating system and both were installed with the default installation type of server core (no GUI). Even though the GUI can be turned on and off in Windows Server 2012 (unlike in Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2), I prefer not to add the GUI unless absolutely necessary....

March 14, 2013 · 2 min · 240 words · Mike F. Robbins

Use PowerShell to Remotely Enable Firewall Exceptions on Windows Server 2012

You’re attempting to view the event logs of a couple of remote Windows Server 2012 servers that have been installed with the default installation type of server core (No GUI). You receive the following error when attempting to connect to these servers using the Event Viewer snapin in an MMC console: Computer ‘DC01.MIKEFROBBINS.COM’ cannot be connected. Verify that the network path is correct, the computer is available on the network, and that the appropriate Windows Firewall rules are enabled on the target computer....

February 28, 2013 · 3 min · 458 words · Mike F. Robbins

Use PowerShell to Create a New Active Directory Forest on Windows 2012 Server Core Installation (no-GUI)

You have a fresh installation of Windows Server 2012 that was installed using the default installation type of server core installation (no-GUI). This server will be the first domain controller in a brand new Active Directory forest. Log into the server and launch PowerShell by typing powershell.exe. You’ll need to first add the AD-Domain-Services role to the server: Add-WindowsFeature AD-Domain-Services The installation of this role completes and a restart is not required:...

October 13, 2012 · 1 min · 121 words · Mike F. Robbins

Use PowerShell to Determine When Your DHCP Lease Expires

This blog post applies to only Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. Want to know how much time there is until your current DHCP leases expire? Get-NetIPAddress -PrefixOrigin Dhcp | select InterfaceAlias , IPAddress, ValidLifetime I have 23 hours, 47 minutes, and 46 seconds until my current DHCP lease expires on one of my network interfaces and 22 seconds more than that left on the other one. Want to know the exact date and time of when they expire?...

September 27, 2012 · 1 min · 115 words · Mike F. Robbins