[There's a reason that Yoda is the unofficial mascot of SBS. Size indeed matters not.] XP Home [s] CANNOT join a domain - THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS "DIVA"
Wed, Dec 29 2004 18:49 bradley

XP Home [s] CANNOT join a domain

To the poster in the newsgroup who said “I wish they wouldn't keep it a secret” that XP Home [s] cannot join a domain.

Let's blog this up a bit so it's more googlable shall we?

XP HOME platform are for “Homes, houses, condos, apartments, shacks, shantys, leantos, outhouses, etc., etc., etc.“ but they are not for BUSINESSES.  Get it?

The information on whether or not XP HOME can join a domain is on the XP Professional page.

“Windows XP Professional is required to access a domain-based network. If you're not sure whether the network you will access is domain-based, talk to the person in charge of the network to make sure you choose the proper version of Windows XP.“

I love those kind of postings don't you?  I AM in charge of the network and what if I don't know the right answer? 

Like those messages that say “please contact your network administrator for more information“.  I AM the network admin and can't get this thing running the way it's suppose to.

XP professional is what you need to have computer JOIN A DOMAIN. 

I would argue that XP Professional is just plain better in general, with or without a domain, but that's just my opinion.

Let's blog it one more time for dear old Uncle Google

XP Home machines cannot join a domain.

XP Professional machines can.

XP MCE 2004 can join a domain.

XP MCE 2005 sort of can't but I hear if you install them from stratch the bits are there and you can join them, but officially they aren't supposed to be domained.

P.S. Changed the blog so that XP HOME would be better googlable  :-)  Thanks Sophos 

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# Only XP Professional can Join a Domain!

Wednesday, December 29, 2004 9:47 PM by TrackBack

So, let's all do our parts - get out there - tell your friends, tell your relatives, hang a sandwhich board on your dog. Get the word out!

# re: XP Home [s] CANNOT join a domain

Thursday, December 30, 2004 3:42 AM by bradley

Susan,
To most of the world the statement "XP Homes] cannot join a domain" doesn't mean much to them. And, the whole reason why there even is an issue is because the Consumer says "So what if it's called 'Home?' It seems to work"

If you're going to convince the naive and uninformed public, I think you're going to have to describe the virtues of joining a domain.

The usual reason for accessing domain resources is actually a poor reason. You don't benefit from Single Sign-On, but you <can> participate in a Domain environment accessing network resources with XP Home.

Instead, you have to describe the benefits of managing Users and Machines by centralized Group Policy. You can talk about specific improved security.

And, above all translate those benefits into $$$ savings.

Tony

# re: XP Home [s] CANNOT join a domain

Thursday, December 30, 2004 8:21 AM by bradley

Linked, along with a small explanation of what you lose when you join an MCE 2005 box to a domain: the ability to use Media Center Extenders.

# Interview with Samantha, the SBS 2003 workstation - the year in review

Friday, December 31, 2004 10:09 AM by TrackBack

# re: XP Home [s] CANNOT join a domain

Wednesday, January 05, 2005 9:24 PM by bradley

It has been long posted that the orginal MS Tweak Tool and several other tweaking tools aroun on the Internet actually do allow you to join a domain with Windows XP Home. I haven't tried it myself (never sold a Home version) but my guess is it does work but I would bet some serious money that MS blocked those tweaks with the first SP and surely with SP2.

# re: XP Home [s] CANNOT join a domain

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 9:18 PM by bradley

i need help. i have just connected my client pc xp professinal sp2 to the domain. went successfully. ut the issue is when i try to log in to the domain, i had an logon error message "the system cannot log you on now because the domain xxxxxx is not available"
what did i do wrong? what must i do?

# re: XP Home [s] CANNOT join a domain

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 5:26 AM by bradley

<blockquote>Like those messages that say “please contact your network administrator for more information“. I AM the network admin and can't get this thing running the way it's suppose to.</blockquote>

Amen ... happened to many too many times to count. Lame that Home can't connect to a domain. Ugh, more money down the toilet.

# SBS 2003 CAL suckiness

Thursday, July 21, 2005 11:51 PM by TrackBack

# SBS 2003 CAL suckiness

Thursday, July 21, 2005 11:56 PM by TrackBack

# re: XP Home [s] CANNOT join a domain

Monday, July 17, 2006 11:29 AM by unknown

actully you can join a domain with xp home all that is required is that you have the coumputer execute the script for the server and put in the startup folder so that it is execued suring start up

this works depending on the security of the network