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


see if this blog entry helps you.

Media Center 2005 vs. Domain Support
http://jtsang.blogspot.com/2006/07/media-center-2005-vs-domain-support.html

--
Gary Tsang
http://www.gtsang.com

Microsoft MVP - Windows Media Center
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp



"robby-robot" <robbyrobot@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:8EFB17E9-F3FE-403B-9150-02602682F630@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For what it's worth, I purchased a laptop with XP Media Center 2005
installed. I added a user name and password that is the same user name
and
password that I use to log onto my pc at work. We have a Windows NT
network.
I connected my laptop to the network via cable and have not problem
logging
onto the NT server as well as the Exchange server. I also use the same
laptop at home to connect to other Workgroup computers. Don't ask me why
I
am able to connect to the NT network at the office which has a domain name
as
well as the Workgroup at home with a Workgroup name. I use the same user
name and password at both locations. I'm also able to connect to the NT
server at work via a VPN, again with no problems. The only mystery to me
is
the fact that I've entered my home Workgroup Name via My
Computer/Properties/Computer Name/Network ID/Member of/Workgroup. I had
all
sorts of problems doing the same thing on my older laptop which had XP Pro
on
it, probably because of too much experimentation. Bottom line. I think
there
might be a simple way to connect to the NT Server with a Domain Name using
a
Media Center PC. I believe that you can pick the Domain button to enter a
Domain name instead of the Workgroup button to enter a Workgroup name.
There
must be something unusual about how my office NT network is set up that
makes
this all possible.

"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.



.