simple: when I need to add a user 1

[ykfc]

A desktop PC running Windows 2000 pro is configured as part of a domain called say, DomainX. I used to logon using the Domain account xxx. I am a bit confused here as when do I need to add another user to the PC, in order for it to logon.

If yyy is a valid Domain account but has never logon to my PC before, do I need to add the name yyy to my PC before yyy can logon? Who and how could I do this? (Is it using the local Administrator Account, and go to Control Panel and select Users?)

And another question though similar: does it make any difference if I want to logon as "DomainX/Administrator". In other words what if the acccount is the administrator account for the domain. Can this log onto the PC without having pre-added to the PC, just because it is the Administrator account for the Domain the PC has joined.

 

[wolluf]

If the machine belongs to the domain, then any domain account (that doesn't have restrictions applied to it - eg, you can set policy such that a particular account can't logon interactively to a particular machine) can log onto the machine. Any user accounts you set up on the machine are just local accounts (ie, they can log on to the PC but not the domain).

And yes you can logon to the local machine with domain administrator account (generally members of the Domain Admins group are automatically members of the local Administrators group too).

 

[bcastner]

At the point of logon you should see the username and password dialogue box also indicate a Domain. (and a choice to choose this console or local workstation). For the Domain request only a Domain authentication is required. For a local console request you would have to be a pre-established user account, or Guest.

 

[ykfc]

Thank you both for valuable clarifications.

So in my example, I've got your message: I don't need to add a Domain account zzz to the pc using the local administrator account, the PC will allow zzz to logon (generally). Clear enough. But what is someone like me adds to the account unnecessarily? That is:
1) logon as local administrator
2) go to control panel and add an account name zzz where zzz is in fact zzz. (zzz is a member of the Domain Admin
Group like you said)
3) Under the choice of "standard user"/guest/administrator, specify zzz belongs to the administrator
4) log-off local administraor and logon with DomainX/zzz

What difference would it make compared with having not done all the 4 steps here but just log on.

 

[bcastner]

None.