Windows Server 2016 Archives

How to Disable Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration in Windows Server

If you have launched a new Windows Server 2016, 2019, or 2022 and opened Internet Explorer it will automatically open a page saying Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration is enabled.

When you open a website, it will then prompt you that the content that you are accessing is being blocked by Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration.

Windows recommends adding this to a list called Trusted sites zone, but adding all the many websites that you are accessing is tedious.

The solution to this is to disable the Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration. Follow the tutorial below on how to disable it.

How to install Active Directory Administration Tools in Windows Server

If you need Active Directory Users and Computers on your Windows Server, you need to install Active Directory Administration Tools.

The walk through below will also install other AD Administration Tools like DNS configuration and optional if you want to install Group Policy Management.

Tutorial below have been tested in Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019 and Amazon Workspaces Windows 10.

I learned the steps below when I was configuring Amazon Workspaces Windows 10 to do Active Directory Administration. I was avoiding to RDP to the AD Domain Controller to lessen the impact when I make adjustments that is why I needed the Active Directory Management Tools inside my Amazon Workspace.

Note: It is best if your Windows Server is already joined to an Active Directory Domain.

Step-by-step Instruction to Install Active Directory Administration Tools

Click on Start Menu and click Server Manager.

On Server Manager click Add roles and features.

Setup IIS FTP on Windows Server

I will be transferring a lot of files to my Windows Server and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) would be a great way to do this.

Below is a step-by-step instruction on how you can install and configure FTP via Windows Internet Information Services (IIS).

By the way, I have tried the instructions below on Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019.

Setup

Testing

Installation of IIS FTP

1. On Windows Server open Server Manager.

Click on Start Button on the taskbar, then click Server Manager.

Start Button is the window icon on the bottom left of the screen.

2. On Server Manager window, click on Manage then Add Roles and Features.

3. On Add Roles and Features Wizard window, click on Next.

Change Password for Active Directory Administrator on Windows Server 2016

The very first thing I do after installing Active Directory (AD) on Windows Server is to change the password of my AD Administrator. I do this because I use Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2 as my servers and AWS automatically generates the password for my Windows Server.

The AD Administrator is a very powerful user for Active Directory as you can restrict or open capabilities to other users and computer, install/uninstall programs and can even shut down any member computer using the Admin user. That is why you should really keep your AD Administrator User password in a safe place.

Whatever the reason you have for wanting to change the password of your AD Administrator below is a step-by-step tutorial on how to change it.

Click on the Window Icon on the bottom-left and click on Server Manager.

Click on Tools then Active Directory Users and Computers.

Click on the ‘>‘ sign beside your domain on the left sidebar. This will expand the tree. Continue reading Change Password for Active Directory Administrator on Windows Server 2016

Configure Active Directory on Windows Server 2016

Below are detailed instructions on how you can setup Active Directory on your Windows Server 2016.

Sections on installing Active Directory.

Note: You can only do the steps below if you are an Administrator of your Windows Server.

Change the Computer Name

This is an optional step, but I would highly encourage you to do this so that your computer name will not be like EC2AMAZ-3TVT1HF, but a more descriptive one.

In this case since I am going to use the computer that we will setup as an Active Directory Domain Contoller I shall name my Windows Server as DC01.

In fact, you will have a lot of problem if you rename your computer after installing Active Directory. So better do it now before continuing to the next step.

Follow the steps on my post to change the Computer Name of your Windows Server 2016.

For now check the System Information page of the Windows Server.

Note the Workgroup.

Install Active Directory Feature

Now that we have updated the Computer Name of our Windows Server we can now start installing Active Directory.

Click on the Window Icon on the bottom-left side of the screen. Click Server Manager from the Menu.

On the Server Manage Window click on Add roles and features. Continue reading Configure Active Directory on Windows Server 2016

Changing the Computer Name of Windows Server 2016

Every time I launch a Windows Server on AWS or Google Cloud it always provides a random Computer Name. As a good practice I always want my computers to be named descriptively.

In this case I would like to update my Windows Server 2016 Computer Name to DC01, which means Domain Controller 01, since I will be using this server for Active Directory.

Below is a step by step guide on how to rename my Windows Computers to a more descriptive name.

Renaming the Windows Computer

Right-click on the Window Icon on the lower-left of the screen. Then click on System.

On the System Information Window, under Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings click on Change settings.

Continue reading Changing the Computer Name of Windows Server 2016