WDS Client Won't Join Domain

[LL]

You need to put that information in your unattend.xml

Hi -
I am using WDS and am able to deploy Vista to a client machine via PXE boot.
I am not allowing unknown machines to use the WDS server.
Prestaging the computer by creating the computer object with a GUID in the
properties is allowing the client to boot to the WDS, otherwise it would be
rejected (I have tested this and an unknown machine does in fact get
rejected).
So why then, does the WDS client not "become" the computer object? Instead,
Vista gets installed, and it reads from the answer file, but doesn't take the
name of the respective computer object or join the domain.
This leaves me in an amusing situation, where there is no OOBE to create a
user account, the Administrator account is disabled, and I can't use a domain
account to log on. Starting in Safe Mode allows me to log in as
Administrator, using the password from the prototype machine. I can then
enable the Administrator account, change the computer name, and join the
domain. Obviously, this is not the way I want to do it.
What am I missing? I never had trouble getting RIS to do this.
Thanks.

[Charlie]

Thanks for the reply, but I am not sure my question has been answered.

I realize that there is the option in the answer file to direct the computer
to join a particular domain, and even place it in a desired OU, as well as
fields for the account and its credentials that can add the machine to the
domain. (By the way, I really don't like the fact that the password shows up
as plain text in the answer file.)

Can anyone tell me if I am supposed to be able to prestage the computer for
WDS, the way I could for RIS? If so, can someone point me to an article or
simply tell me what needs to be done if I am missing something?

By the way, I did try using the answer file to join the computer to the
domain, but it failed. It's possible that it failed due to the fact that the
computer object already exists in the domain (which is required, unless you
are responding to unknown computers). Looking at the answer file in that
section, it seems like you would need to enter a computer password in a case
where the computer has been prestaged(???).

Thanks for any help on this.

Post by LL
You need to put that information in your unattend.xml

Hi -
I am using WDS and am able to deploy Vista to a client machine via PXE boot.
I am not allowing unknown machines to use the WDS server.
Prestaging the computer by creating the computer object with a GUID in the
properties is allowing the client to boot to the WDS, otherwise it would be
rejected (I have tested this and an unknown machine does in fact get
rejected).
So why then, does the WDS client not "become" the computer object? Instead,
Vista gets installed, and it reads from the answer file, but doesn't take the
name of the respective computer object or join the domain.
This leaves me in an amusing situation, where there is no OOBE to create a
user account, the Administrator account is disabled, and I can't use a domain
account to log on. Starting in Safe Mode allows me to log in as
Administrator, using the password from the prototype machine. I can then
enable the Administrator account, change the computer name, and join the
domain. Obviously, this is not the way I want to do it.
What am I missing? I never had trouble getting RIS to do this.
Thanks.

[Charlie]

OK, thanks to someone from MS (I think) who posted elsewhere in here a link
to new Help files for WDS:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/4/1/64186d69-f7cd-4366-9161-4b21eead884e/WDSUpdate.exe

My question was answered in Chapter 8, and it basically is that you have to
change the domain join type to insecure (the default is secure), which is the
only way it will work without input from the answer file or from a user.

Interesting that the "secure" domain join requires entering a clear text
password into the answer file.

Check out these new Help files, I would say they are much improved.

Post by Charlie
Thanks for the reply, but I am not sure my question has been answered.
I realize that there is the option in the answer file to direct the computer
to join a particular domain, and even place it in a desired OU, as well as
fields for the account and its credentials that can add the machine to the
domain. (By the way, I really don't like the fact that the password shows up
as plain text in the answer file.)
Can anyone tell me if I am supposed to be able to prestage the computer for
WDS, the way I could for RIS? If so, can someone point me to an article or
simply tell me what needs to be done if I am missing something?
By the way, I did try using the answer file to join the computer to the
domain, but it failed. It's possible that it failed due to the fact that the
computer object already exists in the domain (which is required, unless you
are responding to unknown computers). Looking at the answer file in that
section, it seems like you would need to enter a computer password in a case
where the computer has been prestaged(???).
Thanks for any help on this.

Post by LL
You need to put that information in your unattend.xml

Hi -
I am using WDS and am able to deploy Vista to a client machine via PXE boot.
I am not allowing unknown machines to use the WDS server.
Prestaging the computer by creating the computer object with a GUID in the
properties is allowing the client to boot to the WDS, otherwise it would be
rejected (I have tested this and an unknown machine does in fact get
rejected).
So why then, does the WDS client not "become" the computer object? Instead,
Vista gets installed, and it reads from the answer file, but doesn't take the
name of the respective computer object or join the domain.
This leaves me in an amusing situation, where there is no OOBE to create a
user account, the Administrator account is disabled, and I can't use a domain
account to log on. Starting in Safe Mode allows me to log in as
Administrator, using the password from the prototype machine. I can then
enable the Administrator account, change the computer name, and join the
domain. Obviously, this is not the way I want to do it.
What am I missing? I never had trouble getting RIS to do this.
Thanks.

[Mike Lewis (MS)]

Try looking at the new WDS white Paper and see if that helps

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941D4393-AB37-4047-B9C5-616B79D73301&displaylang=en

I think your are correct, prestaging computers creates AD computer objects
with names, and those names should be used. Maybe the processes in the
paper might show a procedural issue. One think to look for is any manual
edits to unattend.xml files, blank properties and such. It is also
possible to turn on details server side logging which can reveal what it is
thinking.

Hi -
I am using WDS and am able to deploy Vista to a client machine via PXE
boot.
I am not allowing unknown machines to use the WDS server.
Prestaging the computer by creating the computer object with a GUID in the
properties is allowing the client to boot to the WDS, otherwise it would
be
rejected (I have tested this and an unknown machine does in fact get
rejected).
So why then, does the WDS client not "become" the computer object?
Instead,
Vista gets installed, and it reads from the answer file, but doesn't take
the
name of the respective computer object or join the domain.
This leaves me in an amusing situation, where there is no OOBE to create a
user account, the Administrator account is disabled, and I can't use a
domain
account to log on. Starting in Safe Mode allows me to log in as
Administrator, using the password from the prototype machine. I can then
enable the Administrator account, change the computer name, and join the
domain. Obviously, this is not the way I want to do it.
What am I missing? I never had trouble getting RIS to do this.
Thanks.

[Charlie]

The link you provided is essentially the same one that I mentioned had
helped me solve my problem. (I think you may have been the one who posted it
elsewhere, which is how I found out about it, so thanks for that.) It was in
fact due to a setting in the answer file that needed to be changed.

Post by Mike Lewis (MS)
Try looking at the new WDS white Paper and see if that helps
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941D4393-AB37-4047-B9C5-616B79D73301&displaylang=en
I think your are correct, prestaging computers creates AD computer objects
with names, and those names should be used. Maybe the processes in the
paper might show a procedural issue. One think to look for is any manual
edits to unattend.xml files, blank properties and such. It is also
possible to turn on details server side logging which can reveal what it is
thinking.

Hi -
I am using WDS and am able to deploy Vista to a client machine via PXE
boot.
I am not allowing unknown machines to use the WDS server.
Prestaging the computer by creating the computer object with a GUID in the
properties is allowing the client to boot to the WDS, otherwise it would
be
rejected (I have tested this and an unknown machine does in fact get
rejected).
So why then, does the WDS client not "become" the computer object?
Instead,
Vista gets installed, and it reads from the answer file, but doesn't take
the
name of the respective computer object or join the domain.
This leaves me in an amusing situation, where there is no OOBE to create a
user account, the Administrator account is disabled, and I can't use a
domain
account to log on. Starting in Safe Mode allows me to log in as
Administrator, using the password from the prototype machine. I can then
enable the Administrator account, change the computer name, and join the
domain. Obviously, this is not the way I want to do it.
What am I missing? I never had trouble getting RIS to do this.
Thanks.