Remove from domain: 3 Windows Accounts - Only one associated with domain?

[goombawaho]

I have a customer that left his last company with his laptop and didn't bother to have them remove the laptop from the domain. No, I don't think it's a stolen laptop.

There are three users on the computer under User Accounts. Only one looks to be associated with the domain as it mentions the domain below the user name on the login screen for that user.

How can I forcefully/manually remove this user from the domain?? (all data will be backed up first including Outlook data).
If I force removal per your advice, will it affect the other users as well?
Do I need to backup the other user profiles before proceeding?

I've never seen a windows 8 pc on a domain before, so I'm trying to be careful with all the users and data on this machine.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[linney]

Right click Computer -> Properties -> Advanced System Settings. On the Advanced tab, choose the Settings-button under User Profiles. Delete the profile you want deleted."


Delete a user account logged in from a domain

https://social.technet.microsoft.co...-logged-in-from-a-domain?forum=w8itprogeneral

Adding and Managing User Accounts in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1

http://windows.about.com/od/windows...-User-Accounts-in-Windows-8-or-Windows-81.htm

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...fe_rd=cr&ei=3ARIVIqmKsaN8QfuvID4CQ&gws_rd=ssl

 

[cdogg]

If I get what you're asking, the answer is that there's no way to convert the user account from domain to local. linney's suggestion will remove the user profile from the laptop completely. You already have it backed up, so that should work for you, especially since there aren't really any other options.

The person who was using that account could continue to sign into it for some time, but eventually it will expire and prompt to change the password, at which time it will be of no use anymore. Might as well delete it now that you have a current copy of its contents, which you can move to a local profile if desired.

 

[goombawaho]

Thanks for the comments. I don't want to convert it really, I just want to whack it and stack the data before I do that and then get it off the domain.

but eventually it will expire and prompt to change the password, at which time it will be of no use anymore.

I knew this fact and I was telling the customer about the perils of running with it forever.

If I whack the user profile in question, will the PC still show as being on the domain under "Control Panel > System and Security > System????? My gut feeling is YES.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[cdogg]

Yes, you can "whack" as many profiles as you want, domain or local, and it will have no effect on the whether or not the PC is still joined to the domain.

However, keep this in mind. Once you take the PC off the domain, the user profile won't look the same when you follow the steps linney posted above. Instead of showing the username as it did before, it will turn into a domain SID (a series of numbers that won't make any sense to you). No big deal if you're expecting that, but wanted to warn you ahead of time! You can still delete it after taking it off the domain, though it makes more sense to delete it beforehand.

 

[cdogg]

Oh yeah, one more thing...

Make sure you have a local account enabled that has admin rights before you remove the PC from the domain. You can get yourself in a bit of a pickle if you forget to check that!

 

[goombawaho]

So basically,
1. Make sure I have a LOCAL user with admin rights + known password
2. Backup data on domain user profile
3. Delete domain user from local admin user account
4. Remove laptop from domain

I'm being careful because this is a new customer, I hate windows 8 and I'm not comfortable working with it and I've never dealt with it on a domain. But it sounds more less the same as windows 7 for this operation.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[cdogg]

Goom,
Yes, those are the steps I would take. I haven't worked at all with Windows 8 on the domain yet, but it will behave the same way as Windows 7 when it comes to user accounts and domain membership.