Computer Accounts

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There is many ways to join a computer to a domain in the MS Press book for the 70-290 it says one way is to create the computer account in AD then from the network properites of the PC add it to the domain at work I usually just add the PC to the domain then move it to the correct OU.

So on my test server I done what the MS Press book said and created the computer account in AD but when i go to add the PC to the domian it says it can not be added as a computer with that name already exists on the network.

What am I doing wrong?

 

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Pre staging is intended for use with RIS. Pretty sure thats why

You have to enter the comps guid then tell it to use any (RIS) server

I could be wrong though as this is from my memory. We use ghost here so that info went out of my head a while ago

 

Yup technet confirms

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc759196(WS.10).aspx

 

Cheers for the link but that only applies if you tick the check box "This is managed computer" the book was saying dont tick that as that is to do with RIS and just create the computer account then add to the PC to the domain.

 

Hmm just had a look at a 290 book. It seems crystal clear but I reckon its too late in the day to to try it as per the instructions for me


Anyone else able to shed light.

 

Check the PC that your trying to add to the domain and see what it states.

Just Right Click My Comuter > Properties > Computer Name it should state if it is a member of a Workgroup or Domain, if it is a member of the domain, then check the details maybe unhook from the domain and reboot and then hook it back onto the domain.

Alternativley search AD for Computers and see if the PC name and then delete this object. Then re-add the PC name as it could be a SSID issue especially if you have cloned a virtual machine.

If you have cloned a Virtual Machine, then you will need to run NewSid whch can be found here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897418.aspx then remove from domain, delete computer account and re-add.

 

Interesting... Are you trying to join the computer to the domain with the same account you used to create the computer object? Are you 100% sure that you haven't joined another computer with the same name, into the domain previously?

There are a few cases where replication issues may result in such problems, but I think you might be working with a single site or just 1 or 2 DC's when doing these tests, right? Only if the computer object which you already created in advance in AD, does not have the tabs filled in with information (which shows that a computer was joined with this object), should you be able to add the computer to the domain without a problem.

 

craigie: cloned machines will not stop you from joining the same clone multiple times to a domain, as long as the name is different every time.

I have however seen this type of error with poorly replicated Quest AD Managers. It may in some instances create the same computer name multiple times in AD...

 

I had the issue using MSVPC, where I had to run NewSID to get the PC to be able to join to the domain. Different names, but AD believed that the SSID was already in use.

 

Hmmm... I've seen many people do the error of ghosting machines, even using the same VHD to stamp multiple boxes, and it didn't stop them from being joined to the domain. Not running Sysprep or NewSID does of course cause other unwanted issues with WSUS, SMS, MOM and permission related stuff which risk giving local users elevated rights on all cloned boxes

(one of our sites recently had an error in Ghost walker, which cloned boxes WITHOUT rebuilding a new SID... oh dear, I think they're still at it reinstalling XP boxes)

 

Yes i just have a single server, whats confusing me is i create the computer account in AD eg:

PC001
then i log on to the pc and change it from work group to the domain and the name PC001 but then it brings up an error saying the name is in use but the book is telling me to create it in AD first

 

Are you running a Virtual Environment, if so was the PC cloned?

Have you done what I have suggested yet? If so what happened?

 

Yeah i am running it in vmware.

So should you usallly be able to create the computer account in AD then add the PC to the domain? as like i said i usally just add the pc to the domain then move it to the correct OU.

 

Yes say i dont create the computer account in AD but just add the PC it works, its just when i create the account in AD first it says it already exisits which is true as i have put it in AD, so im not sure how to do it because like you said its good to do so the computer can go straight in an OU and get group policy etc.

 

just had to knock out a system for a new starter here. Tried creating the account in AD then adding to the domain and got the same error message.

Steps I took

created object in AD and specified our desktop admin account as the one allowed to join it to the domain

renamed system to match and attempted to join domain - got object exists error

Now I'll try with a new SID (we normally do this as the second step) and having reset the object in AD

OK that worked

Dont know whether it was resetting the object or the new SID. My moneys on the object reset as we re SID all systems and never use the system we take the image from

Try resetting the object first then let us know how you get on

 

You wont belive this but now it lets me create them in AD and then add the computer to teh domain without a problems, very strange.

But thanks for the above if it happens again I will try what you said.

 

Eh did you change anything? A restart? Gah I hate I.T.

 

Nope just tried to add one then I was going to reset the Computer account like you suggested but it worked without needing to do that.