How to join a Windows computer to the NT Domain

Microsoft Windows(r) computers have a system called "Domain Security", which allows central management of a user's passwords and permissions. When a computer is joined to the domain, the server can also automatically create some local settings, such as server drive mappings, every time you log in.

Prerequisites

1. Network Permissions

   First of all you need to have permission to join a computer to the domain. By default this privilege is restricted, but if you are a member of the domain_joiners group, you have the required permissions. If not, please ask us to either add you, or to take remote control and authorise it for you.

2. Local Permissions

   You will need to have administrator privileges on the local computer as well.

3. Network Cable

   Because wireless networking generally only works when a user is logged in, the process on joining a domain is best done using a hard-wired Ethernet connection

4. Registry Settings

   If the computer is a Windows 7 or Windows 8 computer, a small registry change is needed to allow the computer to join a SAMBA domain. Samba is the open source project that allows Apple Mac and Linux computers (and other devices as well) to share files with Windows computers. You can apply this registry change by clicking on this link (http://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Windows7) and allowing it to make changes. NB This Link should be to Samba's own site.