James Harper
How To Set Up a Windows Server 2022 Domain Controller in Proxmox: A Step-by-Step Guide
Setting up a Windows Server 2022 as a Domain Controller in Proxmox isn’t exactly plug-and-play, especially if you’re new to this. Kind of weird, but sometimes it’s the little things that trip people up — like network configs or BIOS settings. Here’s the rough process based on some actual hits and misses.
Prerequisites (or, what you’ll probably want in hand)
- Proxmox VE installed and running. Pretty sure you already know how to get into its web UI, but just making sure.
- Windows Server 2022 ISO file — get it from Microsoft’s portal, or if you’re sneaky, an ISO you trust.
- Basic networking skills, and a bit of patience for VM tweaks.
- Admin rights on your Proxmox host. Essential, obviously.
Step 1: Create the VM (the starting point)
Log into the Proxmox web interface—Datacenter > and right-click your node or cluster, then Create VM. Here’s what to double-check:
- Name that VM (like DC01), set VM ID to 101 (or whatever), no biggie.
- Select the Windows Server 2022 ISO from the dropdown menu. Hint: keep it handy in your storage.
- Type should be Microsoft Windows. Sometimes, you gotta scroll for it, depending on your Proxmox version.
- Disk size? Don’t go tiny. 150 GB is a good start unless your storage is tight.
- CPUs: 2 sockets, 2 cores each, and 4 GB RAM — later you might bump it up, but this is fine to start with.
- Network: bridge mode, like vmbr0 or your main LAN bridge.
- Important: toggle off TPM unless you know what you’re doing. EFI? Keep it checked if you want UEFI boot, but on some setups, BIOS works better.
- Finally, review and hit Finish. Lord knows what Windows will think when you power it on.
Step 2: Tweak VM Settings (because Proxmox’s defaults sometimes are… not ideal)
Before hitting start, go to your VM’s Options. Here’s the trick:
- Find KVM Hardware Virtualization. On some setups, it might be enabled, but that can cause issues with Windows. Disable it if you hit boot errors.
- Save your settings — no need for a reboot yet, but keep it in mind.
Step 3: Power Up & Boot from ISO (the fun part)
- Click Start and then go to the console view.
- When you see the message, press any key to start Windows installation from the ISO.
Note: Sometimes, on slow systems, the boot prompt appears late or not at all — patience is key.
Step 4: Install Windows Server 2022 (pretty straightforward if you handle the prompts)
- Just click Install Now.
- Select your edition, like Standard Desktop Experience. Because, you know, GUI.
- Accept the license, hit Next — standard stuff.
- Select Custom: Install Windows only — this kicks off the real install.
- Pick your virtual disk (probably Disk 0), format if needed, and click Next. Remember, that will wipe the partition if you reformat.
- Wait for Windows to install, which involves a few automatic reboots. Grab a coffee.
Step 5: Basic Windows Config (Configure IP, hostname, and all that)
Once installed, login and set a password. Then, open Server Manager — it should launch automatically. If not, search for it in start.
Set a static IP address:
- Click on Ethernet in Local Server.
- Right-click, choose Properties.
- Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
- Use Use the following IP address. Enter your IP, Subnet, and Default Gateway. Make sure DNS points to your server’s IP — because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
Click OK and close all dialogs. Expect some network hiccups if you’re doing this via RDP or console.
Step 6: Change Time Zone and Computer Name
This part is crucial—otherwise, Kerberos and things won’t work right later.
- In Server Manager, click the time zone to set it correctly. Or go via Control Panel > Date and Time.
- To rename the machine, go to System Properties (/system properties), click Change, and rename it to DC01.
- Restart to apply the new name.
Step 7: Install Active Directory Role (because, that’s the point)
- Back in Server Manager, go to Manage > Add Roles and Features.
- Follow the wizard, select Active Directory Domain Services.
- Finish, then wait for the installation to complete — it’ll probably ask for a reboot.
Step 8: Promote the Server to a Domain Controller (finally!)
- After role installation, a notification pops up in Server Manager — click Promote this server to a domain controller.
- Choose Add a new forest, and put your domain name (like btnhd.edu).
- Set a Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) password — probably write it down somewhere.
- Keep defaults or tweak functional levels if needed, then accept and continue.
- On the last screen, hit Install. This will restart the server (so save your work first). When it boots again, your new domain controller should be live, ready to take SMB or LDAP requests. Or, you know, handle user logins.
Extra Tips & Common Issues (because nothing’s perfect)
- Make sure your VM has enough juice — RAM, CPU, disk — or the install gets sluggish or outright fails.
- If Windows installation hangs, double-check your ISO integrity or try a different ISO, just to rule out corrupt files.
- Bridged networking can cause headaches. If you get network issues, try switching to NAT for a bit, then back.
- Active Directory might throw errors if your DNS isn’t correct, or if your IP setup isn’t static. Go figure.
- On some machines, Windows might complain about secure boot or UEFI settings in Proxmox. Sometimes disabling secure boot in VM options helps.
Summary
- Proxmox VM creation is pretty flexible, but check network and BIOS settings first.
- Windows install can be slow, so patience is key.
- DNS and static IP configuration are *crucial* — otherwise, AD won’t work right.
- Promoting to DC is just a wizard — watch out for the reboot, don’t lose your SSH or RDP connection.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Setting up a DC isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to get tripped up on network stuff. Good luck!