client computer crashed; need to re-join to domain

Hi dklauk,
if I understand correctly your question, you only need to rejoin your client to the domain, so simply:
1) open System Properties (press Win key + Pause Key),
2) choose "Network Identification" tab,
3) press the last button (near "join a domain")
4) provide the credential of a domain administrator and there you are.
The same steps are used for a Windows 2000 based system.

Elbereth.

Actually, in 2003SBS, to join/re-join a computer to the domain, I think you should browse to: http://servername/connectcomputer from the client.

AdamRobinson...

Before I click that link please give me a heads-up as to what will happen.  I do not click links that may automatically perfrom some operations w/o my knowedge beforehand.

thanks.

See also:

http://forums.techarena.in/showthread.php?t=641156

as far as the win2k server:

once the Os is installed and you are plugged into the network go to Start, Settings, Control panel, System, Network Identification tab. click properties button. under "member of" click domain and type in your domain name. It will ask you for the admin username and password. enter that and click ok. It will say "Welcome to the ??? Domain". You'll need to reboot  for the changes.

this is the same method I use with the 2K3 server as well...

Chawness:

That is not the best way to do it on an SBS2K3 domain.  The connectcomputer wizard should be used.

For the specific information regarding SBS, see:

http://www.sbits.biz/Microsoft/SBSITPRO.doc 

So, am I to conclude that the http://servername/connectcomputer link is for sbs2003 and the "membeof" approach is for win2K?  Or, will the connectcomputer method work for both OS's?

 

Comment from elbereth21
Date: 12/13/2006 06:27AM PST

The above comment will work perfectly well on both types of server.

You can add a user in Windows 2k Server via 'Active Directory Users and Computers' in 'Administrative Tools' in the 'Control Panel'.

http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2005/01/23/33632.aspx

Keep in mind yer SID is gonna get changed.

Perhaps I've misread the question since people to be continually suggesting something that is -bad practice- for 2003 SBS.  

Total rebuild usually means it's all gone and needs to be redone entirely.  

Elbereth tends to have a great grasp on 2003 server (and I assume 2003 SBS too), dklauk, so who knows.  Fairly certain he/she knows more than I.  I must just be misunderstanding.  Is all of your profile information still there, and the computer account info still good?  

Back to the original issues:

1. a previously-connected (to a domain controller in an SBS2003 network) client computer crashed.  This meant it had to be rebuilt from scratch.   The rebuilt client computer now needs to get re-established to the domain controller of the SBS2003 server.  What are the detailed steps to do this?

2. a new client computer needs to be added to a win2k server domain controller.  Client and server accounts need to be created for this new computer.  What are the detailed steps to do this?  

Thanks for all the feedback to this point.

For client coputer needed to be added to Win2K server.

As your client is new, the machine account needs to be created.

Get yourself a Domain Admin account.
1. Logon to the new clinet, as local administrator.
2. Press, "Windows Key + Pause Break". This will open the System Properties.
3. Goto "Computer Name Tab", Click change button.
4. On "computer name changes" window, The machine should show to be in Workgroup.
5. Click the Domain Radio button.
6. Fill in the full qualified domain name. i.e domanname.com
7. Press enter. A authtication window will popup.
8. fill in the domain admin, credentials. e.g "domainname.com\administrator" password.

Few points to consider.
If your machine is taking TCP/IP parameters from DHCP, then it should be able to resolve the domainname to a Domain Controller IP address.
To check this, Open command promt.
>nslookup dominaname.com
This will give you IP address(es) for your Domain Controller(s).

If you are not using DHCP server, then assign IP address manually, and give a valid DNS server IP address in configuration.

Re AdamRobinson comment...

I saved things like the Desktop, Favorites, etc to a CD.  How would I konw if I saved the 'profile?'

If I didn't then how do I set up a new profile from scratch?

It's interesting that, as usual when it comes to technical problem-solving, many other related issues surface.  But, that is the beauty of this forum!  Many responses; many ideas; many things to consider.


 

 

All you need to do is to login using your userid.

This will create a new profile at location c:\Documents and Settings\UserID

Copy all the content from Desktop to C:\documents and Settings\UserId\Desktop
Copy favorites to C:\documents and Settings\UserID\Favorites

This is a manual process.

Otherwise you could use Microsofts USMT. It will help your migrate users profile.

Yikes!! This is a lot of posts for a simple task. The first post by elbereth21 will get the job done. The only thing I see that's missing is that you should delete the old system account from the domain before you add it - its cleaner that way.

So - before you follow the first post. Log into your server --> start AD Users & Computers --> search for your old system under the "Computers" OU (the one that crashed), and delete it.

Then follow the first post to add your system. The process works the same for Windows Pro or XP.

Don't over complicate the process - its a quick / easy administrative act. =)

Good luck.

Since I have received so many "solutions" to my original question, the task facing me now is to determine "who REALLY knows."  My thanks to Jeff TechSoEasy for his candid and detailed explanation.

BTW, I do lite net maintenance on this SBS net for a client following the initial installation (about a year and 1/2 go)  by a REAL net guy.  This is my first opportunity to have to delve into SBS.  I do remember that on the client computers he did go into XP administrator and I remember him doing settings, in particular 'memberof.'  So, I know that the connectcomputer approach was not used.

This is why I asked for "detailed steps" to add this new computer.  From the varied responses it is clear that I could really get into a mess if the solution is not extremely specific--and correct!  I cannot afford to 'get into a bind' at the client site and possibly break the whole net.

Can anyone add anything relevant to what has been proposed?

Thanks.

Hi, I was the one suggesting the "classic" approach to this question, but since I am honestly an expert in Windows server 2003 Standard/Enterprise working contexts, not in SBS, I suggest you to follow the link proposed by AdamRobinson (http://www.sbits.biz/Microsoft/SBSITPRO.doc ), which is a really useful document about differences between those two operating systems. I really did not know of this peculiar difference (and I am fortunately NOT using SBS) and I thank AdamRobinson for pointing it out: there is always a place to learn something more, and that place is Experts-Exchange.

Elbereth: I learned the difference after having used SBS for a bit and assuming it functioned the same too.  Talk about frustrating.  But that's why I have a permalink to the SBS documents now. :)

And dklauk, in general on SBS2003, you should take Jeff's advice.  You'll notice he's the editor for the SBS section, specializes in it for his business, and is by far and away the Expert with the most answers on SBS systems here.  :)

Great responses!  I did not know that Jeff was the Expert for the SBS section.  I will accept his solution and expertise--especially b/c of peer acknowldgements.

I will be going to the site to do the "add computer" task next week.  In the meantime I will be doing my homework based on Jeff's solution.

Thanks so much everybody for helping me to get a better handle on the issues.

 

dklauk...  Glad that you are now pointed in the right direction!  

Elbereth21... I'm so glad that you had a chance to review that document.  I usually link it as http://sbsurl.com/itpro which you'll find posted many times here at EE.  

Below is some text that I've been working on that I will soon post to my profile... but haven't fully edited yet:


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Unlike many other Topic Areas, if there is an SBS anywhere in the realm of the problem, it's generally an SBS issue.  The reason for this is due to SBS's centralized role in its network, and the general misunderstanding of most experts as to the nature of SBS and its unique requirements.

What I generally find, when I go through the other TA's looking for SBS questions, is a string of comments that would not only be wrong for an SBS environment, but could possibly cause damage to one's server or network that may only be correctable by doing a complete reinstallation.  

The nature of SBS is such that it's an integrated platform which contains components that would never be combined in a normal environment.  The fact that it looks like a normal server, feels like a normal server and even acts like a normal server makes it all the more difficult to get the point across to folks that it's NOT a normal server.  Most often, someone with a tremendous amount of Server 2003 experience will offer up advice that would be just fine on a Standard Server.  Such as creating an Organizational Unit in order to link a new Group Policy.  If they are unaware that you cannot create OU's outside of the standard SBS Active Directory structure, then they will end up breaking the server's tools and possibly the entire AD. Most often, these "Wizard", "Sage" or even "Genius" experts have never installed an SBS, or even seen one operate.

I can't tell you how many questions begin with ... "The strangest thing..." or "This is really weird..."  But the fact is that these things are neither strange nor weird when it's apparent that the server has been misconfigured or mismanaged.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

:-)

Jeff
TechSoEasy

Thanks.  Related question:  will it be obvious what to do to: "Unjoin the domain into a WORKGROUP" in step 2 above?  I really want to get all my ducks in a row before I tackle this task of re-doing the server/client setup.

Can you think of any other "I forgot to mention..." detail?

Thanks.

You will also want a backup of your .nk2 files if your user uses Outlook 2003.  One of the circumstances that can occur when unjoining from the domain and rejoining with a new computer name is that you will occasionally end up with the user's Autocomplete names disappearing when you attempt to rejoin (this is assuming you don't copy over all the Outlook 2003 PST files -- I usually just let them re-download to remind the user why I don't want them keeping 1 gig of e-mail).  This is, in a business setting, often one of the most upsetting things that could ever happen to a user -- as oft-times it's how employees keep track of their contacts entirely.  Take a year or two of use, and it's a hassle to try to re-enter them all.

If you're running in Cached Mode in 2003 with an Exchange server, the file name should appear as Outlook.nk2, IIRC.

Per your previous question, it's fairly obvious on the workgroup bit.  When you go to change, you'll see a button below the domain setting that's for workgroup, and you can just enter a name there.

You may also want to keep in mind that within the system manager, in some cases (especially if you have things not set up correctly to begin with), it may not let you delete the old computer name from the client computer list.  In this case, it will request you open up ADUC and delete it from there.  Don't panic; as far as I could tell in the past, it doesn't have any negative effect to do this.  Jeff could probably clarify whether I'm entirely correct here.

If you are doing all of your computers again, be aware this is going to take you some time to do.  Just get yourself a list of everything you need to check (User's desktops, favorites, my document files, outlook files if in cached mode, etc.) and check 'em all off.

Last note, you will want to remember that your user will be granted local administrator rights when you perform this task.  If this does not meet your corporate setup, you will want to remove them after you are finished with the process.

Hope that helps!

I know that the answer to this question has been 'accepted' but I have a follow-up to the recommendations of AdamRobinson and TechSoEasy.  Her it is:  I may have to decide to not go the route of 'breaking' the client's existing node connections and then re-establishing them per the connectcopmuter method.  I cannot afford to shut down their network for any period of time--especially if things go sour.

Also, the client computer that crashed belongs to the Executive Director and I want to get that computer up-and-runnning as fast as possible.

Given this, what is the recommended approach to getting the re-built client computer connected to the existing SBS server?

Thanks.

I would recommend the same thing suggested above no matter what.  This is not a complicated task, and should require at a maximum no more than 30 minutes, if the computer involved is reasonably fast.  You do not need to take the network down to perform any of this.

Thanks for this last bit of info.

If your network shares are not pushed out through group policy, you may need to remap those as well.  

You wouldn't "Shut down their network" by doing this.  You would instead, just reset ONE machine at a time.  Do one that's lease important first so you can understand how easy the process is.

Better yet... get yourself an SBS to use in your own business so you have more hands on experience.  If you're not already a registered Microsoft partner, you should become one... and then the Action Pack subscription is just $299 and includes SBS as well as most every other MS mainstream title.

Jeff
TechSoEasy

TechSoEasy...
I am a 'Microsoft Partner' and did buy the Action Pack in 2005 for $395.  Do you have a link to the $299 offer?  Also, would it be better to wait until 2007 so get the newest MS software including Vista?

Thanks.

Darold

Action Pack is not a "Buy it once" kind of thing... it's an annual subscription, so it doesn't matter whether you wait or not... but Vista is coming out in next month's update anyhow.

See https://partner.microsoft.com/US/40013898 for the US link, and pricing is $299.  There used to be a $399. price that included some services from BCentral which is no longer offered.

Jeff
TechSoEasy