Installing Remote Server Administration (Active Directory) Tools in Windows 8

Windows 8: Start Screen

Following this process will install the "Active Directory Users and Computers" utility on your start menu (amongst other things).

The download link to the Microsoft page for the software you require is;

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28972 (the download is about 100MB)

Once you've opened the page you need to determine whether you're running 32-bit or 64-bit windows - I've written a separate post on this here.

Once you've downloaded the software install it;

Windows 8: Windows Update Dialog

You'll then be presented with the standard EULA;

Windows 8: EULA Details

Click "I Accept" and the software will install;

Windows 8: Installation Progress

It's a 100MB installation so will take a bit of time, when it's done you'll see;

Windows 8: RSAT Installation Complete

Now one thing that is a definite improvement over the previous version is that now that you've installed the software it's immediately available - under Vista and Windows 7 you used to have to "turn it on" after you've installed it.

To find the installed applications return to the Start Page and scroll to the right;

Windows 8: RSAT Installation Blocks

You'll see two new blocks, "Administrative Tools" and "Server Manager". The new Active Directory tools are under the "Administrative Tools" icon. Click on it, you'll be taken to the desktop;

Windows 8: Active Directory Users and Computers

And you're done.

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Installing Active Directory Tools Under Windows 8

UPDATE: Full instructions for the installation can be found HERE (below was written for the Release Candidate).

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With Windows 8 now released (via MSDN anyway) I thought it was time to update my blog post on installing Active Directory Tools (primarily "Users and Computers") on the new operating system.

I have to admit I gave this a bit of a go when Windows 8 Release Preview was released but beyond my personal interest didn't see any point in sharing it.

Sadly while Windows 8 Enterprise is now available (see here) Microsoft has yet to update it's version of the Remote Server Tools for the final release of the OS - the existing version of the tools (Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview) available via the URL below;

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28972

Does not install on Windows 8 Enterprise (I've tested the 64-bit version only). It just crashes a few seconds in - which makes sense if it is tailored to only work on the Release Preview.

Hopefully over the next few days searching for "Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8" will yield something other than the following results;

As soon as it does I'll update this post.

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