Domain related unattended questions

[^eMpTy^]

So I've had some issues with adding to a domain when I do my unattended setup. For some reason driver installations seemed to stop working when I set it to add to my domain automatically...and it didn't even add itself to the domain.

Does anyone know of any issues like this? Anyone have much experience with domains?

Another question: Ideally I would like to bring my computers up, install network drivers, run some registry tweaks to disable dhcp media sense, and then join or add the computer to a domain. With that done, I'd like to use this dsmove.exe tool to change the organizational unit my computers are in in active directory then reboot them so my software installation policies can kick in and install all the default software on the domain. (This way it stays up to date, is contained in one spot, and doesn't fill up the cd)

My problems are: since I couldn't get the unattended setup to join the domain properly (admittedly I didn't try that hard) I enlisted the help of netdom.exe which performs the task via command line. Then I need to restart the computer and get it to login using the domain administrator account...still working on that part.

Here's the clincher, if I were to get the unattended cd to add to the domain itself, would I still need to log on to the domain to make the active directory changes...so...

Anyone have similar problems with domain logon?

And does anyone know how to auto-login to the domain?

-eMpTy

[RogueSpear]

I don't know the size of your network or what all is involved, but I would seriously suggest you look into running RIS. It is so much easier than using media for an unattended install where a domain is concerned.

A good deal of the information you have probably aquired regarding unattended installs from CD will translate over to RIS. For instance I have used nLite on a couple of RIS sources now as well as BTS's DriverPacks.

It may take a short investment of time to get up to speed with RIS, but I assure you it is worth it.

[Martin Zugec]

This is what U need to join domain (in your unattend.txt)

[identification]

DomainAdmin="DomainAccount"

DomainAdminPassword="password"

JoinDomain = "DomainName"

Autologin to domain is same as autologin to workstation, U must include DefaultDomainName with name of your domain.

Any other questions?

[Radimus]

I have had issues where the NIC isn't active until after the first reboot or at some point after joining happens. therefore I wrote a tool to run at runonce.

[^eMpTy^]

I am trying to do it with registry hacks...we'll see how it goes...

[edmoncu]

This is what U need to join domain (in your unattend.txt)

[identification]

DomainAdmin="DomainAccount"

DomainAdminPassword="password"

JoinDomain = "DomainName"

Autologin to domain is same as autologin to workstation, U must include DefaultDomainName with name of your domain.

Any other questions?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

will this work with an unattended cd? i tried experimenting with it, but after the installation point where xp is configuring network settings, it shuts down the installation of xp and restarts and goes that way... much like an endless loop.

[edmoncu]

bump

will unattended joining to the domain work with winnt.sif on an unattended cd?

[Radimus]

it CAN work, BUT if the NIC is not active at that time (during mini-setup)it will fail. If the Nic is not active, it cannot see the network, therefore it cannot see the domain, therefore it cannot join.

It really depends on the Mobo and the NIC

Read my post above

[edmoncu]

i got it now, i guess i will have to work with netdom (which is a part of Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools) during the initial login.

[tarl57]

hi all

RADIMUS, Im very interested for your graphic product or tools Join Domain , could you explain us what is it or give us the source ?

Thanks a lot

[Radimus]

The tool is written using Kixtart and the Gui addon Kixforms.

basically add the joindomain.kix, kix32.exe, and kixforms.dll into the system32 dir, "regsvr32 /s kixforms.dll", and then "kix32 joindomain.kix"

see http://www.kixtart.org/ubbthreads/showflat...4&Number=131272

for the details on the code for this

[Martin Zugec]

You just need to include NIC drivers in OEMDriversPath... It is working without problems then

[mls15000]

The tool is written using Kixtart and the Gui addon Kixforms.

basically add the joindomain.kix, kix32.exe, and kixforms.dll into the system32 dir, "regsvr32 /s kixforms.dll", and then "kix32 joindomain.kix"

see http://www.kixtart.org/ubbthreads/showflat...4&Number=131272

for the details on the code for this

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I tried this but got an error on line 10. I think line 10 is $Form.BackColor = 212,208,200 if I counted right. Is there a certain version of the kixforms.dll I need to use?

Thanks

[Radimus]

did you reg the kixforms.dll??

http://www.kixforms.com/assets/index.htm

[berrick]

I can say that i have had no issue's getting the computer in question to jion domian using

[identification]

DomainAdmin="DomainAccount"

DomainAdminPassword="password"

JoinDomain = "DomainName"

with unattended install BUT they have all been fairly new computers.

Having said that i'm looking into a problem at the moment which is sorta related. The problem i have is that i have also set the autologin functionality but it fails to login when i check the registry the domain name has been set the same as the computer name?????

This is strange as the computerhas been added to the domain

If any1 has any suggestions about this i'd be interested