How To Join a Domain With Media Center Edition 2005

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.neowin.net/comments.php?id=26497&category=main' target='_blank'>http://www.neowin.net/comments.php?id=26497&category=main</a><br /><br /></div><i>"DLL patching hero Rafael has found a great way to enable your MCE 2005 install to join Windows domains. Rafael, known for patching the now famous uxtheme.dll to enable custom Windows XP msstyle themes has found a reg edit in Windows XP Media Center 2005 to unlock the previously "greyed out" join domain option. This method is pretty complex but confirmed to work. This will allow you to leave and join domains within Windows Media Center Edition 2005."</i><br /><br />If this is something you've been struggling with, here's the solution. It's not simple, but if complex things scared you away, you wouldn't be running a domain on your network, now would you? :wink:

[rlobrecht]

Too bad MS disabled Fast User Switching in machines that are joined to a domain (and too bad Media Center Extenders use Fast User Switching to work.)

I guess the don't expect people to have Windows Domains in their home networks.

[Philip Colmer]

I guess the don't expect people to have Windows Domains in their home networks.
Is it really worth the added complexity? What is there that domains provide that workgroups don't, that a home network would benefit from?

--Philip

[that_kid]

What is there that domains provide that workgroups don't, that a home network would benefit from?

--Philip

If you have just a few computers networked having a central place to hold logon information is key. I remember reading an article about 5 years ago where someone had a domain setup at home and I thought the same thing you did. But as the number of computers grew in my household workgroups just didn't cut it. Now I'm up to a 10 server, 10 pc network and having a domain just makes things easier in the end. I know many people who are running domains at home because of the central manangement benefits alone.

[Philip Colmer]

Passwords is the obvious one - I just didn't think home networks would get big enough to warrant that overhead.

That's a lot of PCs in one house :-)

--Philip

[that_kid]

I'm thinking that we'll start seeing more of this in a few years as many households add computers in different rooms for various reasons. My network is split, I have 6 servers, 3 pc's and 3 laptops here and 4 servers 2 desktops and 2 laptops at my parents house in New Jersey. Both networks are connected via vpn over cable modems.

[Tim Williamson]

I'll have to try this out sometime.