SharePoint Installation Tips and Tricks

2013

Step by Step Installation of Active Directory for SharePoint – SharePoint George
http://sharepointgeorge.com/2012/configuring-active-directory-ad-ds-in-windows-server-2012/

2010

SharePoint 2010 with SP2 on Windows Server 2012 only
http://www.toddklindt.com/SP2010SP2ISO

SQL
How to install SQL on Disks
http://blogs.technet.com/b/dataplatforminsider/archive/2012/12/19/disk-and-file-layout-for-sql-server.aspx
Great Session on SQL on SharePoint
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlgardner/archive/2012/11/14/pass-summit-2012-session-slides.aspx

Single Server
Simple Least Privilege Install (step by step)
http://sharepointgeorge.com/2010/installing-sharepoint-2010-privilege-service-accounts/

Enterprise Install
2 Tier to 3 Tier (Great Article) *
http://sharepointsolutions.com/sharepoint-help/blog/2011/02/how-to-scale-out-a-sharepoint-2010-farm-from-two-tier-to-three-tier-by-adding-a-dedicated-application-server/
Step by Step 3 Tier Install (Good Follow-up)
http://www.khamis.net/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=47
http://www.khamis.net/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=48
Farm - Two Part Series from Microsoft on Shared Services Architecture
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/russmax/archive/2010/01/20/sharepoint-2010-shared-service-architecture-part-1.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/russmax/archive/2010/05/06/sharepoint-2010-shared-service-architecture-part-2.aspx
NLB Installation Guide
http://www.jppinto.com/2010/07/sharepoint-2010-installation-overview-table-of-contents/

Install Tips
Get rid of the GUID - Get rid of the CA GUID
http://www.toddklindt.com/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=233
More GUID Removal
http://msmvps.com/blogs/shane/archive/2010/10/26/getting-rid-of-guids-in-sharepoint-2010-database-names.aspx
Database Maintenance (Add Attach Move Rename)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc825329
Highly Available SharePoint Central Administration
http://www.harbar.net/articles/spca.aspx

Installation Tools
The SPModule.zip file is an unsupported sample of a Windows PowerShell module written by members of the SharePoint Product Group. The module can be used to perform simple administrative tasks related to installing a SharePoint farm.
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=6194

Farm
Standalone or Farm?
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-GB/sharepoint2010setup/thread/6fee8444-1661-47fb-bb26-16a80d18dac8

Farm Configuration Scripts
Technet http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262839.aspx
Codeplex http://autospinstaller.codeplex.com/
https://autospinstaller.com/ (new)

More
http://www.sharepointusecases.com/index.php/2011/01/automate-sharepoint-2010-farm-configuration-with-powershell/

PowerShell to provision the entire SharePoint 2010 Farm
http://blog.falchionconsulting.com/index.php/2012/05/international-sharepoint-conference-2012-follow-up/

Good Blog on farm and sharepoint installation automation
http://www.habaneros.com/blog/author/jwarren/posts.aspx

Reset Farm PassPhrase
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sharepointadmin/thread/2e45b280-8428-4d16-9348-2d10d14879cd/