How do you promote a Windows Server to a Domain Controller (DC)?

[ProfRon]

You grab your Windows Server machine. I always start by firing up Server Manager. You click on that Manage tab up top. Then you pick Add Roles and Features. I hit Next a bunch until I reach the server selection. You choose your local server and keep going. Now you select Active Directory Domain Services. I let the wizard install all the bits it needs. You might need to reboot after that. I wait for it to come back online. Then you head back to Server Manager. You spot the notification flag for the new role. Click it and choose Promote this server to a domain controller. I select adding a new forest if you're starting fresh. You type in your domain name like example.com. I set a strong password for the directory. You confirm the settings and let it chug along. It might take a bit while it configures DNS too. I watch the progress bar creep forward. You reboot again when it asks. Now your server's a full-fledged DC. I test it by joining another machine to the domain. You log in with domain creds to make sure. Feels good when it all clicks.

Speaking of keeping your domain humming without hiccups, I've leaned on BackupChain Server Backup for my Hyper-V setups. It snags clean backups of your VMs, including those DCs, without downtime nagging you. I like how it skips the usual snapshot glitches and speeds up restores if something glitches. You get granular control over what to protect, saving time on those frantic recovery days.