Add comps to Domain

burdon

Hey All,

I am currently creating an unattended windows XP disk with nearly everthing slipstreamed on it. I was wondering though if this would be possible.

is it possible to have the computer added to an active directory domain during installation with an original computer name?

eg comp-01
comp-02 etc etc

Any advice would be appreciated

Cheers
Burdon

Standard Toaster

AFAIK, you can't.
Only add machine to a workgroup. (You need to specify a user account with rights to add machine to domain....and I don't think that's possible)


Maybe someone else can clarify.

burdon

I thought that it was possible to create a file that would give you a unique computer name so that it would not cause conflict if added to a network.

for example:
Burdon-comp-xx
Where xx is equal to between 00 and 99. This file would let you manually select a computer name during installation, from a list of the 100 computers.

If anyone knows that this is possible or has a link to information it would be much appreciated as i am looking all over the net and can't get anything.
It is only hear say to me at the moment

Cheers
Craig

seamus

You can definitely use it to add a machine to a domain, but as you point out, the machine name is an issue.

What worked for me in the past is to specify everything *but* the machine name. At that point in the install, you'll be prompted for the name, you enter it, and everything proceeds as normal.

If you are going to use a slipstreamed install to add the machines to a domain, then good practice dictates that you set up a domain account with no rights except to add machines to the domain. That way if someone finds/steals your slipstream disk, you don't have your domain admin password sitting there in plaintext.

Stephen

I'd use Sysprep to do this.

burdon

thats very good advice. Never thought of the security issue. Thanks Seamus

I know that if you select it to automate the process that it uses your organisation name eg Burdon-xxxxxx and all the x's are randomly chosen by the computer using hex. but the problem with that is we currently have a strict naming scheme in place like Burdon-comp-xx I want to keep this schema as 80% of the computers are in this format. it would be a waste of time going back.
So i agree leaving it in manual is probably the best thing to do, but does anyone have any other suggestions?

thanks
Burdon

feylya

What I do at the moment is get the automated XP install to generate the computer name in AD (company-483833) then run a script that prompts for the correct name. The script will then change the local and server names. I've to do a bit more work to check if the existing AD name exists and whether to use that AD object or create a new one.

Standard Toaster

Could you share that script feylya?

feylya

I'll upload it tomorrow when I get to work if I remember.

mick.fr

seamus wrote: »

If you are going to use a slipstreamed install to add the machines to a domain, then good practice dictates that you set up a domain account with no rights except to add machines to the domain. That way if someone finds/steals your slipstream disk, you don't have your domain admin password sitting there in plaintext.

Per default a domain user can add a computer in the domain.
So having a dedicated account to do that is a good idea, but make sure you have changed this default policy.

feylya

This is the code I use at the moment. Run it at any time, reboot and your computer name and the AD object will be renamed to whatever you've entered.

strComputer = "."
newName = ""
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
    & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

Set colComputers = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * from Win32_ComputerSystem")

newName = inputbox("Please Enter Your Hostname")

newName = Ucase(newName)
	
For Each objComputer in colComputers
    err = objComputer.Rename(newName)
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