bricar
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Reinstalled Server2003-Need to delete users before rejoining domain??
Hi Guys,
First of all, I know I have a couple of questions open from last week. Does the phrase "I had a kidney stone" ring a bell with you? If so, you know why I've been out of commission. I'll close those questions as soon as I pose this one:
I just reformatted and reinstalled Server2003 Small Business. Now I need to rejoin the workstations to the domain, but I'm a little concerned about this. When I go to a workstation and Explore, in Docs & Settings I see several users. There is the currently used user called "jsmith", but then I see also "jsmith.domainname" and "administrator.domainname"
My question is, will these existing users cause a problem when I try to rejoin the domain? The computer names haven't changed so I'm concerned about SID issues. If you advise me to delete those users, what is the best way to do so without causing problems when I rejoin to the domain?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
BC
First of all, I know I have a couple of questions open from last week. Does the phrase "I had a kidney stone" ring a bell with you? If so, you know why I've been out of commission. I'll close those questions as soon as I pose this one:
I just reformatted and reinstalled Server2003 Small Business. Now I need to rejoin the workstations to the domain, but I'm a little concerned about this. When I go to a workstation and Explore, in Docs & Settings I see several users. There is the currently used user called "jsmith", but then I see also "jsmith.domainname" and "administrator.domainname"
My question is, will these existing users cause a problem when I try to rejoin the domain? The computer names haven't changed so I'm concerned about SID issues. If you advise me to delete those users, what is the best way to do so without causing problems when I rejoin to the domain?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
BC
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In order to maintain user desktop settings in this situation you can:
rename the default user profile to "default user.old",
rename the desired profile to "default user" and grant everyone read access to it (don't forget to apply to all subfolders)
log on as the appropriate user
rename the default user profile to username.old (or just delete it if you are happy)
rename "default user.old" to "default user"
the drawbacks - unc paths are kept, so if printer sharenames are different then these will be broke, you can easily forget to restore the original default user and the next person to log in gets the old user's profile...
rename the default user profile to "default user.old",
rename the desired profile to "default user" and grant everyone read access to it (don't forget to apply to all subfolders)
log on as the appropriate user
rename the default user profile to username.old (or just delete it if you are happy)
rename "default user.old" to "default user"
the drawbacks - unc paths are kept, so if printer sharenames are different then these will be broke, you can easily forget to restore the original default user and the next person to log in gets the old user's profile...
ASKER
Lazarus,
>>>>jsmith.domainname is your AD login, whil jsmith is likley a local client login.<<<<
So far, so good. I knew this to be the case
>>>>The SID issue is a valid concern. I prefer to just delete the jsmith.domainname users off the local machines, but you should have a backup of them for sure before you do that. I just transfer then to a holding directory on my servers so that I can put back the needed files.. i.e... Documents, Desktop, Favorites, Outlook's etc..etc...<<<<
Do I do this in the Explorer (just drag & drop), or do I do this through management? Also, isn't there some other file that I need to delete to eliminate a SID problem?
>>>>This can impose a bit of a burden on the users though, since they will be without there files untill you move them. Also they will have to basiclly reset there desktop enviroments. But it insures a clean join with no other problems in my opinion. Now if you have alot of users this can be time consuming, but if you have lesss than say 50 it's pretty simple.<<<<
NP there, it's only 5 machines. Some XP and some 2000. Thanks for your reply!
BC
>>>>jsmith.domainname is your AD login, whil jsmith is likley a local client login.<<<<
So far, so good. I knew this to be the case
>>>>The SID issue is a valid concern. I prefer to just delete the jsmith.domainname users off the local machines, but you should have a backup of them for sure before you do that. I just transfer then to a holding directory on my servers so that I can put back the needed files.. i.e... Documents, Desktop, Favorites, Outlook's etc..etc...<<<<
Do I do this in the Explorer (just drag & drop), or do I do this through management? Also, isn't there some other file that I need to delete to eliminate a SID problem?
>>>>This can impose a bit of a burden on the users though, since they will be without there files untill you move them. Also they will have to basiclly reset there desktop enviroments. But it insures a clean join with no other problems in my opinion. Now if you have alot of users this can be time consuming, but if you have lesss than say 50 it's pretty simple.<<<<
NP there, it's only 5 machines. Some XP and some 2000. Thanks for your reply!
BC
ASKER
cyberdevil67,
Thanks for the tips. I used that for some reason I can't remember...problem with an old 16 bit app, I believe.
I recall once trying to rejoin and I got computer names like "ACCOUNTING.domainname.loc
That's what I'm trying to avoid if possible.
BC
Thanks for the tips. I used that for some reason I can't remember...problem with an old 16 bit app, I believe.
I recall once trying to rejoin and I got computer names like "ACCOUNTING.domainname.loc
That's what I'm trying to avoid if possible.
BC
ASKER
Hi harleyjd ,
I'm not concerned at all with desktop settings, as it's only 5 workstations and I can just drag 'n drop where needed. They only use a few apps.
I'm mostly afraid of getting weirdness on the server as it adds .000 to users and/or computer names.
BC
I'm not concerned at all with desktop settings, as it's only 5 workstations and I can just drag 'n drop where needed. They only use a few apps.
I'm mostly afraid of getting weirdness on the server as it adds .000 to users and/or computer names.
BC
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ASKER
harleyjd,
Thanks for the input. If I understand you correctly, I should log on locally as administrator, then move all the users (except the local user, "jsmith") to a temp store. Is this correct?
After this (or however you correct me) is accomplished, then should I login as the local user and join the domain, or must I add A/D users and computers first on the server?
I'm sorry to be such a simpleton...I inherited this site and I just want to avoid complications.
Your help is greatly appreciated!
BC
Thanks for the input. If I understand you correctly, I should log on locally as administrator, then move all the users (except the local user, "jsmith") to a temp store. Is this correct?
After this (or however you correct me) is accomplished, then should I login as the local user and join the domain, or must I add A/D users and computers first on the server?
I'm sorry to be such a simpleton...I inherited this site and I just want to avoid complications.
Your help is greatly appreciated!
BC
If you only have 5 machines just rename the profiles to "jsmith.domainename.old" that will work fine. I thought you might have more, then when you relogin it will create the new profile. You can just copy the things you need from the .old into the new after it has been recreated after adding them to the domain and login them in.
Login as the local user then use the domain admins login and password for joining the new domain thru the Netwrok wizard.
You can also ad your users to the Domain through the "Active Directory Users and Computers" MMC if you haven't already. Adding them to the local machines is up to you.
Sorry this was sort of out of sequence, but you seem to have figured it out. It's pretty simple once you've done it. You'll do fine
Login as the local user then use the domain admins login and password for joining the new domain thru the Netwrok wizard.
You can also ad your users to the Domain through the "Active Directory Users and Computers" MMC if you haven't already. Adding them to the local machines is up to you.
Sorry this was sort of out of sequence, but you seem to have figured it out. It's pretty simple once you've done it. You'll do fine
ASKER
Lazarus,
Should I add the users and computers through "Active Directory Users and Computers" FIRST, BEFORE I join the domain at each workstation, or will the server automatically add them when I join the domain?
I'm used to 2000 Server where I would do it as described above.
Thanks so much!
BC
Should I add the users and computers through "Active Directory Users and Computers" FIRST, BEFORE I join the domain at each workstation, or will the server automatically add them when I join the domain?
I'm used to 2000 Server where I would do it as described above.
Thanks so much!
BC
Well, I do that myself, simple beacuse I can do it faster from there. Then I just go around to each machine and login as local admin and ad the computers to the domain. You can do it either way though. It's just a preference on my part.
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i concur
merry christmas alimu
-red
merry christmas alimu
-red
No you will not have to delete the users, as long as the domain name is the same Windows 2003 Server will pick the machine name up and re add them to the list automatically. However I would not recommend using administrator.domainname, and should always be a user account from that machine trying to connect.
Cheers!