Windows Server 2008 Core unattended installation answer file
You cannot run the AD installation wizard with Windows Server 2008 Core, the only way to do it is using an answer. The documentation is a not detail enough at the moment for newbie to write a answer file from scratch. I had to look for documentation from Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 Server to get it right. So here I am posting my version for installing a fresh forest.
[DCInstall]
InstallDNS=Yes
Password=<administrator’s password>
RebootOnCompletion=No
ReplicaOrNewDomain=Domain
NewDomainDNSName=<specify you own domain name, i.e. contoso.com>
ForestLevel=2
DomainLevel=2
NewDomain=Forest
SafeModeAdminPassword=<password for restoration>
Save it in a text file and at the command prompt type:
dcpromo /answer:<location of answer file>
