Re: Feel Duped by Microsoft with MCE NOT being allowed to join DOM

This is what Microsoft states on their Media Center Edition 2005 web site
"Most Frequently Asked Questions":

Q. Can I connect a new PC running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 to a
work network or domain?
A. While you can access network resources on a work network or a domain, you
cannot join a Windows XP Media Center 2005 PC to the domain. PCs running
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 are designed specifically for home use.
Professional features, specifically Domain Join and Cached Credentials
(Credentials Manager for logins) are not included. As a result, you will be
prompted for your login username/password to access network resources after a
reboot or logging back into the PC. In addition, file shares or network
resources set to require a domain-joined PC for access will not be available.
Remote Desktop and Encrypting File System support are still included.

Q. What about consumers upgrading from Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004?
Will they lose these features?
A. No. Consumers who are eligible for an upgrade to Media Center Edition
2005 will keep these features as they were a part of their originally
purchased product

I think if you are setting up a home network without the increased security
of a domain, you'll have no trouble, just the same as you can do with Windows
XP Home Edition.


--
Tom M


"tsm21" wrote:

> While it is true that Microsoft has made no secret that MCE 2005 computers
> can't join a domain, the fact that computers running MCE 2004 are able to
> join a domain and MS disabled this function in the update, clearly shows that
> this was a marketing ploy to differentiate between XP Pro and MCE 2005.
> Without some disabling of MCE functions, a consumer purchasing MCE 2005 could
> get his XP license for less than the price of a Pro license and (as in MCE
> 2004) would get everything Pro plus the superset functionality of MCE. Its
> not really fair to completely exonerate Microsoft in this case since they did
> change the way MCE 2005 is marketed from MCE 2004.
> --
> Tom M
>
>
> "Doug Knox MS-MVP" wrote:
>
> > The company you purchased the computer from is the one you should be complaining to. Microsoft made this information public.
> >
> > http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/faq.mspx
> >
> > Scroll down to General Information, 9th question:
> >
> > Q. Can I connect a new PC running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 to a work network or domain?
> >
> > A. While you can access network resources on a work network or a domain, you cannot join a Windows XP Media Center 2005 PC to the domain. PCs running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 are designed specifically for home use. Professional features, specifically Domain Join and Cached Credentials (Credentials Manager for logins) are not included. As a result, you will be prompted for your login username/password to access network resources after a reboot or logging back into the PC. In addition, file shares or network resources set to require a domain-joined PC for access will not be available. Remote Desktop and Encrypting File System support are still included.
> >
> > You new computer should have an instruction manual, or possibly and included help file that will tell you how to access the recovery partition, recovery CD/DVD set, and restore the computer to its "out of the box" condition.
> >
> > Additionally, there are purported hacks out there that supposedly allow you to re-enable this capability.
> >
> > The primary reason for not allowing joining to a domain was the introduction of the Media Center Extenders. Since they rely on the Fast User Switching portion of Windows XP. In a domain environment, Fast User Switching is disabled. If they allowed joining a domain, then people who didn't do their homework on the Extender devices would complain because it would only work when no one was logged into the host computer.
> >
> > --
> > Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
> > Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
> > http://www.dougknox.com
> > --------------------------------
> > Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
> > http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
> > --------------------------------
> > Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
> > Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
> >
> > "Jemima" <Jemima@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:BE6DCC6E-ADA5-4E6C-A3F2-F3AB35E3E683@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >I just purchased a brand new computer with MCE 2005 and NEED to join my
> > > domain because that is where all my files, and my children's homeschooled
> > > programs, etc. are located. It is imperative. Last I had checked into it,
> > > there was no problem with MCE and domain log in.
> > >
> > > Now, I am stuck with a computer that does not have this ability as my new
> > > school year is coming to a start and I need this capability. WHY on earth
> > > would microsoft disable this?
> > >
> > > I don't have a clue how to go about reloading the software to have a the
> > > chance to change this during setup. Surely microsoft realizes that these
> > > computers come with the os already installed and they are making what should
> > > be a pleasant occasion filled with misery because the darn computer is
> > > rendered useless for what we need it for.
> > >
> > > WARN your customers about what your programs NO LONGER do because they may
> > > believe they will be getting a functioning computer.
> > >
> > > This is a joke and I am furious.
> >
.

Relevant Pages

  • XP MCE 2004 Despcription
    ... A current case in point is Microsoft ... Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, ... But with MCE 2004, Microsoft did the most significant work on the TV ... and PVR (personal video recorder) sections. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: Feel Duped by Microsoft with MCE NOT being allowed to join DOM
    ... If you need to join a domain, do a clean installation of MCE 2005. ... I can't answer the question on an MCE 2005 key working on a 2004 reinstall. ... Joining a domain within' Media Center 2005 ... Insert Windows XP CD. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: Feel Duped by Microsoft with MCE NOT being allowed to join DOM
    ... If you could join a domain in MCE ... More and more people loath Microsoft. ... > generally smart enough about networking to make a Media Center box work fine ... >>> a work network or domain? ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: Feel Duped by Microsoft with MCE NOT being allowed to join DOM
    ... The update you seek would be Windows Vista Ultimate Edition. ... you can 'hack' domain join back into Media Center 2005. ... Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP ... effectively MCE 2004. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: Media Center - like, GUI program...?
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