Windows 7 is although quite user friendly it, however, can also be configured to work as a client to any Domain Controller in any client-server network scenario. Except to Home series of Windows 7 flavors all other versions can be added to domain.
There are a few prerequisites that a Windows 7 computer must have before it can be added to a domain. These prerequisites are:
- Computer must not have Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic or Home Premium flavors of operating systems installed as these flavors cannot join a domain.
- Domain Controller must be present in your network.
- DNS server must be present in your network.
- A computer must be connected to the network either via cable or through wireless medium.
- If DHCP server is not present in your infrastructure manual IP address should be provided to the computer.
- If DHCP server is not present in your infrastructure manual DNS address should be provided to the computer.
Once the above prerequisites are met, you can add your Windows 7 computer to the existing domain by following the steps given below:
- Log on to the computer with the user account that has Administrative privileges.
- Click on Start button.
- In the start menu right-click on Computer and select Properties.
- In the View basic information about your computer page under Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings frame click on Change settings link.
- In the System Properties box ensure that you are on Computer Name tab and click on Change button.
- On the Computer Name/Domain Changes box select Domain radio button under Member of section and type the name of the domain to which you want to add this computer.
- Click on Ok button.
- In the opened window provide the credentials of domain administrator and click on Ok button to accept and confirm your configuration. Alternatively, you can also provide credentials of a domain user account to this computer to the domain.
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Joining to a Domain
- You will be displayed with a message box welcoming you to the domain and Windows will ask you to restart the computer.
Note:
Any domain user account credentials can be provided while joining a computer to a domain. A domain user account can add up to 10 computers to a domain using its own credentials.
Yah, but what about telling people how to set up active directory too??? I can only set clients by signing in with the Admin account!
Users set up in active directory are then asked to sign in when they map a network drive.
Very vital piece of info left out! Also I had to set the preferred DNS since I am not using the DHCP!
…”manual DNS address should be provided to the computer.”
What the heck!!!!???? It’s called “network and sharing center, change adapter settings, properties, IPv4, properties, set preferred DNS (the server’s IP address)”
People who have to look up your website to set up a server don’t even know usually what you are talking about… I wasted so many hours trying to find out about this stuff and now that I know a little more, I am going call out people who don’t know how to “teach”!!
It’s not as easy as that! What account to we sign in with? Do we create a user in the active directory and sign in with that? Or do we have to sign in with the Admin account? How do we set it up so we do not have to sign in with the Admin account? I want to set up a user in AD and then go to the client and sign in with THAT user I just set up! Not so on my end… I have to set up with the Admin account….. in XP I did not have to do that… just set up user and login with that user… I got it to work, but only after I set everything up with the Admin… anyways…… stop leaving out the most vital info…. it’s not as simple as 123…. you have to go through the steps and account for idiots!!
What’s the permission levels supposed to be set at for the users so they can join the client?
“In the opened window provide the credentials of domain administrator and click on Ok button….”
Ok, duh, you said it right there…… take what you need and leave the rest of what I said before….