Joining Windows 7 to a Domain

Once you've created a domain by promoting a server to a domain controller, you can add the Windows 7 client to the domain. Adding a Windows 7 client will result in the following:

• A computer object will be created in the domain.
• A password will be established for the computer to authenticate in the domain. This password will automatically be changed periodically.
• Users will be able to log on using a domain account and access domain resources.
• Group Policy objects will be applied to the computer and to users logging on to the computer.

How to join a Windows 7 computer to a domain. If you're using the virtual network, both the domain controller and the Windows 7 client need to be running. It's critical that the Windows 7 client can reach the DNS server that is running on the domain controller. The Windows 7 VPC should have the Preferred DNS address configured with the address of the domain controller (192.168.1.10 if you're using the settings in this tutorial).

1. Start Windows 7 and log on.
2. Click Start, right-click Computer, and select Properties.
3. Click Advanced System Settings. Select the Computer Name tab.
4. Click Change.
5. On the Computer Name/Domain Changes page, select Domain and enter the name of the domain. Click OK. You'll be prompted to enter the credentials for an account in the domain that has permission to join the domain.
6. Enter the credentials of a user account that has permission to join the domain (such as the Administrator account), and click OK. After a moment, a dialog box will appear welcoming you to the domain. Click OK.
7. You'll be prompted that you must restart the computer to apply the changes. Click OK.
8. Click Close. When prompted to restart the computer, click Restart Now.

At this point, you have a virtual network that includes a domain controller and a Windows 7 server that has been joined to the domain.