My Home Lab—Project 1: To practice Windows Server and Active Directory at home, this guide walks you through the complete step‑by‑step process of installing Windows Server on a virtual machine and configuring Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). This is ideal for beginners, students, and IT professionals who want hands‑on experience.

🔗 Download Links

• VMware Workstation Pro Download and license VMware Desktop Hypervisor (Fusion Pro & Workstation Pro): https://knowledge.broadcom.com/extern…
• Windows Server 2022 ISO Microsoft Evaluation Center: Windows Server 2022 | Microsoft Evaluation Center

📘 Chapter 1: Windows Server & Active Directory Setup Using VMware Workstation

In this tutorial, you will learn how to:

• Create a Virtual Machine in VMware Workstation
• Install Windows Server 2022
• Install Active Directory Domain Services
• Promote the server to a Domain Controller
• Create Organizational Units (OU)
• Add Users and Computers under departments

This is a beginner‑friendly walkthrough, so anyone can follow along easily.

🟦 PART 1: Create a New Virtual Machine in VMware Workstation

Here is your fully corrected, polished English version—perfect for a website blog post. I kept it clean, professional, and structured while preserving your full technical content. Images are included to make the post visually engaging.

⭐ Windows Server & Active Directory Setup on VMware Workstation (Step‑by‑Step Guide)

If you want to practice Windows Server and Active Directory at home, this guide walks you through the complete step‑by‑step process of installing Windows Server on a virtual machine and configuring Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). This is ideal for beginners, students, and IT professionals who want hands‑on experience.

🔗 Download Links

• VMware Workstation Pro Download and license VMware Desktop Hypervisor (Fusion Pro & Workstation Pro): https://knowledge.broadcom.com/extern...
• Windows Server 2022 ISO Microsoft Evaluation Center: Windows Server 2022 | Microsoft Evaluation Center

📘 Chapter 1: Windows Server & Active Directory Setup Using VMware Workstation

In this tutorial, you will learn how to:

• Create a Virtual Machine in VMware Workstation
• Install Windows Server 2022
• Install Active Directory Domain Services
• Promote the server to a Domain Controller
• Create Organizational Units (OU)
• Add Users and Computers under departments

This is a beginner‑friendly walkthrough, so anyone can follow along easily.

🟦 PART 1: Create a New Virtual Machine in VMware Workstation

1. Open VMware Workstation.
2. Click Create a New Virtual Machine.
3. Choose Typical → Next.
4. Select your Windows Server 2022 ISO file → Next.
5. Name your VM: Windows Server 2022 → Next.
6. Assign hardware:
   • CPU: 2 cores
   • RAM: 4 GB (or more if available)
7. Set Disk Size: 60 GB → Finish.
8. Power on the VM.

🟦 PART 2: Install Windows Server 2022

1. Choose Language, Time, and Keyboard → Next.
2. Click Install Now.
3. Select edition: Windows Server 2022 Standard (Desktop Experience) → Next.
4. Accept license → Next.
5. Choose Custom Install.
6. Select the 60GB disk → Next.
7. Installation begins → Server restarts.
8. Set a strong Administrator password → Finish.

🟦 PART 3: Basic Server Setup

1. Log in to the server.
2. Configure network settings (DHCP or Static IP).
3. Open Server Manager.
4. Prepare for Active Directory installation.

🟦 PART 4: Install Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)

1. In Server Manager → Click Manage → Add Roles and Features.
2. Choose Role‑based installation → Next.
3. Select your server → Next.
4. Choose Active Directory Domain Services.
5. Click Add Features → Next → Install.
6. After installation, click Promote this server to a domain controller.

🟦 PART 5: Promote Server to Domain Controller

1. Select Add a new forest.
2. Enter Root Domain Name: mycompany.local.
3. Set DSRM Password → Next → Install.
4. Server restarts.
5. Your Domain Controller is now ready.

🟦 PART 6: Create Organizational Units (OU)

Open Active Directory Users and Computers.

Domain: mycompany.local

Create top‑level OUs:

• USA
• Europe
• Asia

Europe OU → Department OUs

Inside Europe, create:

• IT
• HR
• Finance

These represent your regional department structure.

🟦 PART 7: Create Users & Computers

Europe → IT Department

Create Users:

1. John.Ryan
   • Add to IT Admin Security Group
2. Mark.Box
   • Add to IT Email Distribution Group

Add Computers:

• PC‑John
• PC‑Mark

Europe → HR Department

Add HR Users and HR Computers inside the HR OU.

Europe → Finance Department

Create User:

• Denise
  • Add to Finance Email Distribution Group

Add Computer:

• PC‑Denise

🟦 PART 8: Computers Section

All domain‑joined Windows 10/11 PCs will appear under the Computers container. This tutorial only demonstrates where computers are displayed.

🟦 OUTRO

In this tutorial, you learned how to:

• Install Windows Server on VMware Workstation
• Configure Active Directory Domain Services
• Promote a Domain Controller
• Create OUs for regions and departments
• Add Users and Computers

This structure helps you practice real‑world IT administration skills at home.

🗂 Final OU Structure (Diagram)

mycompany.local
├── USA
├── Europe
│ ├── IT
│ │ ├── Users
│ │ │ └── John.Ryan
│ │ └── Computers
│ │ └── PC-John
│ │
│ ├── HR
│ │ ├── Users
│ │ │ └── (HR User)
│ │ └── Computers
│ │ └── (HR Computer)
│ │
│ └── Finance
│ ├── Users
│ │ └── Denise
│ └── Computers
│ └── PC-Denise
└── Asia

🎬 What I cover

• Intro
• VMware Workstation Setup
• Windows Server Installation
• AD DS Installation
• Domain Controller Promote
• Create Departments (OU)
• Create Users
• Computers Section
• Outro