XP Home Domain Fix (Inbox)
Normally, Windows XP Home Edition cannot join network domains, simply peer-to-peer workgroups. However, there is a fix which can solve the problem and allow WinXP Home Edition to join a domain. Microsoft wanted to cripple Windows XP Home Edition so that it could not be used on domains, which would force many to upgrade to the more expensive Windows XP Professional Edition simply to join a network domain. However, it -is- possible to get on a domain using Windows XP Home Edition.
Method 1: this can also be accomplished with the free and widely available Xteq X-Setup 6.1 by navigating to the “Network \ Auto Login \ Windows NT/2K/XP \ Settings” option within X-Setup. Simply enter the appropriate information and click “Apply Changes” – upon your next reboot, you can then join domains with WinXP Home Edition. Problem solved. X-Setup includes many other useful Windows XP tweaks / hacks / etc. for Windows XP as well, all free for personal use.
Method 2: as Serdar Yegulalp pointed out in his Win2kPowerUsers newsletter today also, this can be accomplished using Microsoft's TweakUI for Windows XP, but that has been pulled from Microsoft's Web site for the time being. I feel that it is very possible, if not highly probable, that Microsoft will prevent this
workaround from being used with future versions of TweakUI with Windows XP Home Edition, as they authored both Windows XP and TweakUI, and they don't want Windows XP Home Edition users to be able to join network domains. A copy of TweakUI for WinXP can be obtained here. [CptSiskoX]
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11 Comments
SocioBiblog
June 16th, 2007
at 10:23am
Mackey (Voted the best real estate agent in Seattle) has a few more bits of info for all homeowners: I hope you are doing well and enjoying your new home… Related Content:The Home InspectionAdSense for the SysTrayXP Home Domain Fix (Inbox)House HuntingHome Improvement ToolsHow Not to Recover Data from a Vista BackupHome AliveHome Again, Home AgainCoffee!Thanks, Desmond
Anonymous
February 26th, 2002
at 7:14am
Home not join a domain? Oh that's just lovely… My Mom's new laptop has XP home, and the school she teaches at has an NT 4.0 network with domains… *sigh* Microsoft really has it in for its customers.
Anonymous
March 1st, 2002
at 12:18pm
Now, before all the bashing starts, let's get serious… how many people at home will a) Put up and maintain an NT 4.0 Domain controller or b) A W2K Active Directory Domain Root? How many people do you know have more than 10 machines at home to network together? If they do, they probably work for a company that they would get the Pro version from anyway.
Alfa
October 8th, 2006
at 1:42pm
Very interesting!
How many companies buy the cheapeast available HW and find that the HW is loaded qith no other but XP Home Version?
And leave it to the IT manager to find a nice “cost efficient” (read: FREE) to solve the problem?
10 Points.
NONYMOUS
February 8th, 2007
at 10:23pm
Windows xp, just sucks..
dan
March 20th, 2007
at 11:41am
Can anybody tell me how to LEAVE a domain in XP Pro? I have a machine from an organization I used to work for and can’t network it with another computer. The name changing area in System is grayed out and when I try to network it with another computer I’m told that I can’t because the computer is in a domain which I can’t figure out how to get out of. If you have any ideas, I’d be really grateful.
tracking16@yahoo.com
Bill Ross
May 5th, 2007
at 11:31am
I’m trying to figure out how to leave a domain also, but I think you just want to rename your domain? If so, I think you can use a utility called NETDOM from Microsoft.
Nihal
May 16th, 2007
at 10:25pm
This isn’t a good idea for anyone to do. XP Home Edition has all the of compatibility dissadvantages of Windows NT PLUS all the security holes and the dissadvantages of Windows 98. It is a better idea to use Windows 2000 or XP Professional over Windows XP Home Edition. Joining a Domain in Windows XP Home Edition is just like using SoundFonts without a SoundFont Capable Sound Card. You don’t get the full capibilities. Windows 98 is even more professionally designed than Windows XP Home Edition.
Anonymous
June 22nd, 2007
at 6:55am
Stop with the XP Pro is better for joining a domain!
The only difference is the ability to join a domain. But the cost is a lot higher for xp pro. And you still are supposed to buy client access licenses which are not cheap.
Mike Wilson
August 15th, 2007
at 11:17pm
If I use solution # 1 (Xteq) can I:
a) Join a Domain using XP media center edition
and
b) Centrally manage this computer from a Windows
Server 2003 using Active Directory
Help! Please!.
Thanks so much
Dustin Trider
October 31st, 2007
at 9:02am
I have tried doing this using option #1 but it still doest work!! I cant even get on the internet using this work station. I am using ms server 03 , any ideas why x-setup pro isnt working. I am not getting dns settings either???
I am confused.