Adding a new PC

[LeBodge]

Hi all,

Just a quick question and probably an easy one. When adding a new PC to a server domain with active directory do you :-

1) Setup the server side first with computer/user accounts then setup the workstation
2) Setup the workstation first with computer name and network id and then setup the server side

or

3) Doesn't it really matter which comes first?

Any help please!!!
LeBodge.

http://www.cgbsystems.co.uk

"You can't judge a book by the cover, but you can tell how much it's going to cost"

 

[Davetoo]

Set up the user account on the server side first, then join the client to the domain from the client (the computer account will be automatically created when you do this). You'll have to enter a domain admin username/password when you do it this way. This ensures proper creation of the user profile on the client machine as well.

 

[LeBodge]

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately my clients are unsure of the domain username and password as this was all setup by a third party who have now ceased trading - is there anyway of finding out this info?

LeBodge.

http://www.cgbsystems.co.uk

"You can't judge a book by the cover, but you can tell how much it's going to cost"

 

[LeBodge]

Just to add on to the last message, I have full admin control of the server so can't I somehow setup a new domain user and password?

LeBodge.

http://www.cgbsystems.co.uk

"You can't judge a book by the cover, but you can tell how much it's going to cost"

 

[hefe]

Hello,
You have a couple of choices here.
You can create an account in the domain admin group.
Or you can create a new group for people that you want to have the right to add computers to the network...add the user you want to the group...edit the "user rights assingments"(in GPO) to allow to "add workstations to the domain" ...and apply that gpo to the group you created.
Hope this works for you.

 

[LeBodge]

Thanks all, it's all sorted now. LeBodge.

http://www.cgbsystems.co.uk

"You can't judge a book by the cover, but you can tell how much it's going to cost"

 

[CharlieJax]

You can also go into the Active Directory Users and Computers and view the accounts, changing the usernames and passwords as you wish.

You can create either the username first (server side)or join the PC to the domain first (client side) it doesn't matter, it is all up to you.

Probably the easiest way to do it would be to create all the usernames at one time by creating one and then just copying it so you don't have to repeat a lot of the work.

If you go that route you can setup home drives to be \\server\users\%username% and each time it is copied it will keep the \\server\users\%username% line relitive to the new user.

For example:

Joe User's home drive is: \\server\users\juser
Jill Smith gets hired and you copy Joe's account, Jill's home drive will automatcily be setup as: \\server\user\jsmith. CJ

Don't drink and post, save that for driving home!