Some of the main topics in this chapter are
When setting up Windows NT Server, you make choices that seem commonplace, yet can greatly affect the efficiency of the operating system (OS). Some choices are relatively straightforward, such as time/date and video resolution. Other elements such as the file system selection can have effects that are not readily apparent. This chapter will cover many issues involved in setting up your Windows NT Server.
When setting up Windows NT Server, the first place to start is with the hardware that will support the OS. As outlined in Chapter 5, "Getting the Right Hardware," Windows NT supports a variety of hardware. The number of components and systems on the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) has steadily grown from the release of Windows NT 3.1 Advanced Server to the 4.0 release of the NOS.
The HCL is broken up into different sections, including complete systems, as well as individual components (see Figure 7.1). Systems indicate that the components of a particular system--Compaq Proliant 5000--have been tested by Microsoft and work with Windows NT. Components include anything from SCSI adapters to tape drives and video cards.
The HCL can be found in several locations:
The Windows NT 4.0 HCL contains all devices that have passed Microsoft's compatibility testing.
More than 90 percent of the problems I've seen with loading Windows NT Server have been due to incompatible or malfunctioning hardware. Don't make assumptions about the components of your Windows NT system. Double-checking each hardware component's resource settings can save you hours of frustration and aggravation.
You need to do some initial planning before you begin the installation process. Five key areas need to be investigated: file system, licensing mode, role in the domain, protocol(s) to activate, and services. However, these decisions should not be made on impulse because they all impact the performance and use of your Windows NT Server.
During the installation process, you choose on which file system the Windows NT system files will reside: FAT or NTFS. If a file system is already present on the drive on which you're installing Windows NT, you can keep the existing file system, convert it, or format unused space on the hard disk. Both file systems have characteristics that make them desirable, depending on the environment in which the server will be used. These characteristics are as follows:
Both NTFS and FAT support long file names. If your server is a dedicated Windows NT Server, then NTFS is most likely your best choice for data storage. It's a safe practice to create a small (300M) boot partition, which should be formatted with the FAT file system. If the operating system fails to boot, you can still access your boot file via MS-DOS. Keep in mind that after you format or convert a partition to NTFS, the only way to remove the file system is to reformat the drive.
Microsoft Windows NT Server, along with the majority of products in the BackOffice family, has two schemes under which it can be licensed--per server or per client. There are advantages and disadvantages to each:
NOTE: The client access license is not a piece of software required to attach to the server. It is an agreement purchased from Microsoft to operate a piece of client software on the given server.
A Windows NT Server-based network can be implemented in one of two models: the domain model or the workgroup model. This section assumes that the installed network will follow the domain model. If the workgroup model is followed, no domain-specific options are available; the server is installed as a stand-alone server, similar to the third option in the following list (member server).
A Windows NT Server can play three different roles in a domain. The role is dependent on what you want the server to do for you. One important consideration is whether this server will be the first machine in a domain or whether it is joining an existing domain. The roles are as follows:
For your Windows NT Server to function properly with the other machines on the network, the correct protocol or protocols must be loaded. Windows NT Server loads TCP/IP and IPX/SPX by default. NetBEUI is the other widely used protocol available during setup. Secondary protocols include DLC, PPTP, and the streams environment.
When selecting which protocols to load on your Windows NT Server, remember that only NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, and TCP/IP can be used to transport Server Message Block (SMB) traffic. You must install one of these SMB protocols to enable network clients access to file and print services:
Services are essentially executable programs that run as background tasks on Windows NT. Services provide additional functionality to Windows NT. There are a minimum of five services loaded when Windows NT is installed:
Not all available services are loaded by default, but that doesn't mean they're not useful. Depending on your environment, additional services can be a valuable asset. These services include the following:
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Service can be configured via the Microsoft SNMP Properties dialog box.
There are two ways to install Windows NT: via CD-ROM or over the network. Windows NT 4.0 no longer supports the floppy installation method. Loading Windows NT from CD is the most common method for stand-alone servers or a small domain setup with a minimum number of servers. The network load is used when there are a large number of servers to set up or when the target machine does not have a CD-ROM drive but does have a network card.
Installation from the CD is straightforward and can be done one of three ways. The first and probably most common is using the three boot floppies that come with the Windows NT CD. Simply boot the machine with the floppy boot disk and Windows NT setup will start from there.
TIP: If you do not have boot floppies available, you can make them from the CD. From Windows NT, Windows 95 or DOS, use the WINNT /OX command.
The second method is to run setup from the CD using the available OS and CD driver. Simply change to the CD drive and type WINNT/B. This loads Windows NT and the boot floppy information onto the hard drive. When the machine reboots, the setup begins.
The third method is to boot directly from the CD. This method is only supported on machines with bootable CD-ROM drives. With this method, setup starts when the machine is booted. Support for bootable CD-ROM drives is new in the industry, and might not be reliable. This setup option should be used with caution.
The network installation option is viable if the following conditions are true:
With the network install option, all the files needed for the installation are copied to the local hard disk. WINNT /B enables you to bypass the three boot floppies, boot directly off the hard drive, and run the setup from there.
Regardless of which installation method you choose, the setup process proceeds in the fashion explained in this section.
A character-based phase of the setup must take place before proceeding to the GUI portion of the setup procedure. Use the Enter key to continue to the next screen, unless otherwise noted. Each of the following steps corresponds to a setup screen in the character mode setup:
2. Windows NT detects storage devices that Windows NT can be installed on. If there are additional devices that Windows NT has not detected, you may add them at this point. To add a device, choose Specify Additional Devices and then pick from a list of presented devices or insert a disk with the proper Windows NT device driver.
3. Press F8 to accept the license agreement.
4. Windows NT searches for previous versions of Windows NT on both the storage devices it has detected and those you've added. If the search discovers a previous version, you can choose to upgrade the older version or install Windows NT in a new directory. You can use a new directory if you want to dual boot between two versions of Windows NT Server or Windows NT Server and Windows NT Workstation.
5. At this point, the Windows NT setup displays what it has determined to be the correct hardware and software components of the system. You can change the settings by highlighting a given component and pressing Enter. After changes are made, continue to the next setup screen.
6. Setup identifies any existing partitions or free disk space on the devices it has detected in previous steps. You can use an existing partition or create a partition. You also can delete existing partitions to regain disk space and create a larger partition. When you have created or selected a partition on which you want to install Windows NT, select it and continue.
7. Provided you've created a new partition to install Windows NT on, you have the choice of formatting it in FAT or NTFS. If you've chosen an existing partition, you can leave the file system intact or convert it to NTFS.
8. Select the location of the Windows NT system files. The default location is the winnt directory of the drive on which you've chosen to install Windows NT.
CAUTION: Be careful if you're installing Windows NT on the same partition as an existing installation--you don't want to overwrite the existing one.
10. Windows NT is now ready to reboot; remove any floppy disk and reboot.
NOTE: On machines with bootable CD-ROM drives (for example, the Compaq Proliant 5000), the CD must also be removed.
The GUI portion of setup begins to gather information. From this point on, click the Next button to continue to the next setup screen, unless otherwise noted.
2. Input the CD key found on a yellow sticker on the back of the CD jewel case.
3. In the License Mode section pick a method of licensing this Windows NT Server and the clients that access it. Refer to the section titled "Choosing a Licensing Model" earlier in this chapter. If you select the per server option, input the number of clients and continue. The per client option requires that only the check box be filled to continue. A pop-up window confirms your agreement to license the product.
4. Input the computer name (the name used to identify this machine on the network). The name cannot be more than 15 characters and must be unique to the network.
5. Select the role the machine will use on the network--domain controller or stand- alone server. Refer to the section titled "Choosing a Domain Role" earlier in the chapter if unsure what to select.
6. Input the password for the default administrator account. The password cannot exceed 14 characters.
7. You can make an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) at this time; however, the snapshot of the system on the disk will reflect the current state of the system. It's best to bypass this step until you verify that Windows NT boots properly without error. Then you can run the RDISK.EXE application later to create an ERD.
8. At this point, install any additional options you deem necessary. Screen savers, games, accessories, and messaging are all options.
NOTE: Windows Messaging is not the full Exchange Server product but rather a client for managing multiple message sources.
10. Install the Internet Information Server, if you want. This product is used to publish WWW, FTP, or gopher information on an intranet or the Internet. This product can be installed at any time after setup is complete.
11. Windows NT searches for any adapters installed in the machine. If an adapter is not detected, you can select from a list or install from the manufacturer-provided media.
12. Select one or more protocols. TCP/IP and IPX/SPX are selected by default.
13. Services that are installed are displayed. Refer to the section titled "Choosing Basic Services" earlier in this chapter for more information on additional services.
14. Click Next to install all the components you've selected.
15. Do you want to use DHCP? This option is not recommended for servers. Servers should have a static IP address.
16. To configure a static IP address, you must enter the IP address and subnet mask, as shown in Figure 7.3. If you wish to access IP resources outside of your local subnet, a default gateway must be entered.
17. The host name and domain must be entered to do DNS resolution. You can enter one or more IP addresses of DNS servers. The host name should be identical to the NetBIOS name for simplicity sake.
18. If you are using WINS for NetBIOS name resolution, you must enter the IP of a WINS server. Preferably, a secondary WINS server should also be identified. You can also enable DNS/WINS resolution and LMHOSTS lookup. After you have configured all protocols, Windows NT Setup attempts to start the network services.
NOTE: If the server is filling the BDC role, make sure that the PDC is online and the BDC can contact the PDC.
The IP Address tab of the Microsoft TCP/IP Properties dialog box enables you to configure the IP address, Subnet Mask, and Default Gateway.
Many options are available for installation via the IIS setup screen.
22. If you want to use a database for logging (such as Access or SQL Server), configure the ODBC driver option.
23. Select the time zone from the drop-down list box.
NOTE: The map option in Windows NT does not function as it does in Windows 95.
Configure screen resolution and pixel depth with the video card setup screen.
26. The machine reboots into the Windows NT Server OS.
You might want to bind protocols to services in different orders, depending on the use of the service. Figure 7.6 depicts binding TCP/IP as the first protocol on the server service. IPX is set as the first protocol bound to the workstation service. This example provides optimum performance for clients accessing the server using TCP/IP and for this server accessing other resources using the IPX protocol.
The Bindings tab from the Network Control Panel enables you to set binding orders.
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