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Join the Computer to the Domain

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

You can use these procedures to join computers running Windows Server® 2008 R2, Windows® 7 Windows Server® 2008, Windows Vista®, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP to the domain.

Procedures for joining computers to the domain

This topic provides procedures for joining computers running the following operating systems to the domain:

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 (Release Candidate) and Windows 7 (Release Candidate)

  • Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista

  • Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP

Important

To join a computer to a domain, you must be logged on to the computer with the local Administrator account or, if you are logged on to the computer with a user account that does not have local computer administrative credentials, you must provide the credentials for the local Administrator account during the process of joining the computer to the domain. In addition, you must have a user account in the domain to which you want to join the computer. During the process of joining the computer to the domain, you will be prompted for your domain account credentials (user name and password).

Windows Server 2008 R2 (Release Candidate) and Windows 7 (Release Candidate)

Membership in Domain Users, or equivalent, is the minimum required to perform this procedure.

To join computers running Windows Server 2008 R2 (Release Candidate) and Windows 7 (Release Candidate) to the domain

  1. Log on to the computer with the local Administrator account.

  2. Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties. The System dialog box opens.

  3. In Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings, click Change settings. The System Properties dialog box opens.

Note

On computers running Windows® 7, before the System Properties dialog box opens, the User Account Control dialog box opens, requesting permission to continue. Click Continue to proceed.

  1. Click Change. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box opens.

  2. In Computer Name, in Member of, select Domain, and then type the name of the domain you want to join. For example, if the domain name is example.com, type example.com.

  3. Click OK. The Windows Security dialog box opens.

  4. In Computer Name/Domain Changes, in User name, type the user name, and in Password, type the password, and then click OK. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box opens, welcoming you to the domain. Click OK.

  5. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box displays a message indicating that you must restart the computer to apply the changes. Click OK.

  6. On the System Properties dialog box, on the Computer Name tab, click Close. The Microsoft Windows dialog box opens, and displays a message, again indicating that you must restart the computer to apply the changes. Click Restart Now.

Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista

Membership in Domain Users, or equivalent, is the minimum required to perform this procedure.

To join computers running Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista to the domain

  1. Log on to the computer with the local Administrator account.

  2. Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties. The System dialog box opens.

  3. In Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings, click Change settings. The System Properties dialog box opens.

Note

On computers running Windows® 7, before the System Properties dialog box opens, the User Account Control dialog box opens, requesting permission to continue. Click Continue to proceed.

  1. Click Change. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box opens.

  2. In Computer Name, in Member of, select Domain, and then type the name of the domain you want to join. For example, if the domain name is example.com, type example.com.

  3. Click OK. The Windows Security dialog box opens.

  4. In Computer Name/Domain Changes, in User name, type the user name, and in Password, type the password, and then click OK. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box opens, welcoming you to the domain. Click OK.

  5. The Computer Name/Domain Changes dialog box displays a message indicating that you must restart the computer to apply the changes. Click OK.

  6. On the System Properties dialog box, on the Computer Name tab, click Close. The Microsoft Windows dialog box opens, and displays a message, again indicating that you must restart the computer to apply the changes. Click Restart Now.

Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP

Membership in Domain Users, or equivalent, is the minimum required to perform this procedure.

To join computers running Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP to the domain

  1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties. The System Properties dialog box opens.

  2. Click Change. The Computer Name Changes dialog box opens.

  3. In Computer Name Changes, in Member of, select Domain, and then type the name of the domain you want to join. For example, if the domain name is example.com, type example.com.

  4. Click OK. The Computer Name Changes dialog box opens. In User name, type the domain administrator account name, and in Password, type the administrator password, and then click OK.

  5. The Computer Name Changes dialog box opens, welcoming you to the domain.

  6. Click OK. The Computer Name Changes dialog box displays a message indicating that you must restart the computer to apply the changes.

  7. Click OK.

  8. On the System Properties dialog box, on the Computer Name tab, click OK, to close the System Properties dialog box. The System Settings Change dialog box opens, and displays a message, again indicating that you must restart the computer to apply the changes.

  9. Click Yes.