Windows Media Center is not allowed to join domains. 2004 could, 2005 can't
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Windows Media Center - Joining a Domain
brand new Gateway T5040 with Windows Media Center OS
trying to get it to join a domain. during the first boot (where you set up windows), it asked if i wanted to join a domain and i answered yes and input the appropriate info. it did not join the domain, and the Network ID button is greyed out.
so i attempted to follow these instructions: http://www.thegreenbutton.
but this gateway simply will not go to the Windows Recovery Console. i get : "\minint\system32\biosinfo
is there a way to join a domain on Media Center without going to the Recovery Console? if not, how do i get recovery console working?
this is a brand new computer -- so nothing has been installed other than the OEM stuff and Windows Updates. i even re-ran the OS install cd and tried to access recovery console before any windows updates have been done. same error.
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Answers
jss1199 : i tried those steps... i can't get into windows recovery console. see the error i posted above.
craylord : yes, i know you can't do it without "tweaking", but it is possible. i want to know what other method there is besides the one posted above, or i want to know how i can get windows recovery console working.
doesn't make sense that windows recovery console gives an error on a brand new pc
Hello Zephyr_Hex,
Windows Media Centre PCs are not meant to be in a Domain environment, they are strickly meant for Workgroups, home use not corporate / business. However, they can access resources that are located on the network, you might have to map a network drive or provide credentials when prompted. You can use a batch file that would map a drive to your network resources, connect printers etc. Is there another reason why you want to connect to a Domain ? Do you want to control this PC using Group Policy or have the advantages of Active Directory administration associated with it ?
I wish I had a better answer for you. Following is a Snippet from a FAQ from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/w
Can I connect a new PC running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 to a work network or domain?
While you can access network resources on a work network or a domain, you cannot join a Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 PC to the domain. PCs running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 are designed specifically for home use. Windows XP Professional features, specifically Domain Join and Cached Credentials (Credentials Manager for logons) are not included. As a result, you will be prompted for your logon user name and password to access network resources after you reboot or log back on to the PC. In addition, file shares or network resources that are set to require a domain-joined PC for access will not be available. Remote Desktop and Encrypting File System support are still included.
Good Luck!
"While you can access network resources on a work network or a domain, you cannot join a Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 PC to the domain. " http://www.microsoft.com/w
Recovery console way
http://extended64.com/blog
If you have installed the recovery console and are still getting the error above when attempting to access the recovery console, try the steps below to launch the console from the setup disk - then start over on my list above at item 6.
1. Insert the Windows CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
2. When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
3. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you must access from the Recovery Console.
4. When you are prompted, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
5. To exit the Recovery Console and restart the computer, type exit at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.
unfortunately, pressing R when booting up on the cd launches Gateway's recovery console. the only options from here are to reload OS or parallel install OS
if i press f8 when booting up and go to the option for listing the OS's, i can select windows recovery console from there... but then i get the error.
i have tried installing recovery console from an XP Pro upgrade cd. this gives blue-screen of death
i also have tried following Gateway's instructions: http://support.gateway.com
still get the original error.
ok, i returned the original computer and got a replacement. the replacement is doing the same thing as far as refusing to go to recovery console. i also am not able to access the drive with BartPE. it shows as "removeable media" instead of being a "local drive" and when i try to explore it with BartPE, there is nothing there. this drive also fails to show up when i connect it to another computer as a slave.
is there some other way to get to system32\config and copy system to the root of the drive? or is there a way to fix this weird issue with the drive?
i also looked into tweakui. the newer version does not allow me to use autologin and join a domain. i tried X-setup 6.x and 8.x as well, and get the same result.
is there an older version of tweakui that will work?
Maybe this will help.
You can use a copy of Bart PE to access the drive and unmount it so editing is possible.
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilde
Bart PE will allow you to boot to a Windows XP environment on the CD and give you full access to the drive. Unlike Linux versions of bootable CD's Bart IS Windows XP and will not corrupt files that are edited.
(of course you need to know what you are doing or you can really mess things up by deleting or editing a system file)
Copying files to/from the OS drive then is pretty a simple cut-and-paste operation.
FWIW
I'm sorry, I meant to say <Super WinPE>. It is very similar to BartPE with a few enhancements. However, BartPE should also access the drive. I am accessing a Windows Media Edition PC at this moment making a ghost image of the drive. The program is not having any issues with seeing or accessing the drive.
Unless Gateway puts something in their systems to prevent this I can't see why the PE discs would not access the drive.
One other option you may try but much more difficult is to take the main drive from the Gateway PC and install it as a secondary drive in a functioning Windows XP system. This way you can access most of the files since they are not part of the system drive when mounted this way.
If I can be of further help let me know.
I am troubleshooting a similair issue, and although I have not found a solution yet, I have a clue as to they your hard drive is not behaving as expected. The Gateway motherboard has an Intel ICH8R SATA RAID controller, and although there is only one hard drive in the computer, the SATA controller is in "RAID" mode. (See BIOS settings, Advanced, Driver Configuration, Configure SATA As: IDE/RAID/AHCI, this computer came defaulted to RAID mode).
So... you will need to use "F6" drivers for the Intel ICH8R (double check your motherboard to see if it's the same one), and somehow get the recovery console to use them.
I won't have time to try this today, but here is what I think our best bet is:
Get a "plain" Widows install disc (not the recovery disc that came with the Gateway), boot on the disc and press F6 during boot. Supply a floppy with the Intel ICH8R driver so the Preinstallation Environment can see your "RAID" mode hard drive. Then select the recovery console and proceed as normal.
Of course, there is no FDD on this machine, so perhaps it will be best to make a Slipstream copy of the "plain" Windows XP disc including the ICH8R drivers. I have used http://www.nliteos.com to make a slipstream CD with success, so that will be where I start.
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by: jss1199Posted on 2006-02-06 at 15:52:33ID: 15888390
Hi zephyr_hex,
"While you can access network resources on a work network or a domain, you cannot join a Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 PC to the domain. PCs running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 are designed specifically for home use. Windows XP Professional features, specifically Domain Join and Cached Credentials (Credentials Manager for logons) are not included. As a result, you will be prompted for your logon user name and password to access network resources after you reboot or log back on to the PC. In addition, file shares or network resources that are set to require a domain-joined PC for access will not be available." - excerpt from http://www.microsoft.com/w
However there are a few places that have posted directions on how to join. I've reposted the below from http://forums.vnunet.com/t
1. Start > Run > X:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons
(replace X: with the appropiate drive letter of your CD containing Windows Media Edition)
2. Acknowledge prompt by clicking 'Yes'.
3. Skip updating process by clicking 'Cancel' or by pressing 'Esc'
4. After installation, acknowledge success msg. by clicking 'Ok'
Start > Shutdown > Restart
5. At boot menu, select 'Microsoft Windows Recovery Console'
6. Select proper installation to log onto (default: 1) and press 'Enter'
(If prompted, enter local Administrator password and press 'Enter')
7. Type (without quotes) and press enter: 'cd system32\config'
8. Type (without quotes) and press enter: 'copy SYSTEM C:\'
9. Type (without quotes) and press enter: exit
10. At boot menu, select 'Windows XP Media Center Edition'
11. Log into Windows and play a game of minesweeper (very important) :)
12. Start > Run > Type: 'regedit' and press enter
13. Click on 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE'.
14. File > Load Hive...
15. Browse and select C:\SYSTEM
16. Specify key name 'BANANA' and click OK
17. Expand: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > BANANA > WPA > MedCtrUpg
18. On the right-hand side, double-click IsLegacyMCE value
19. Change selected value to 1 and click Ok. (THAT IS NOT AN L!)
20. Click on BANANA subkey (under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE).
21. File > Unload Hive. Confirm.
22. Start > Shutdown > Restart
23. At boot menu, select 'Microsoft Windows Recovery Console'
24. Take sip of Dr. Pepper (very important)
25. Select proper installation to log onto (default: 1) and press 'Enter'
(If prompted, enter Administrator password and press 'Enter')
26. Type (without quotes) and press enter: 'cd \'
27. Type (without quotes) and press enter: 'copy SYSTEM C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG
(Yes, you want to overwrite - Go ahead and do it)
28. Type (without quotes) and press enter: 'del SYSTEM'
29. Type (without quotes) and press enter: 'exit'
30. At boot menu, select 'Windows XP Media Center Edition'
31. Take a **** while you wait.
32. Join domain.
Thanks,
jss