Need to move from domain to workgroup

D

David Antoine

Hello,

I have just the opposite need.....

I have a client who just left a company, hastily! His
computers, Laptop & desktop were configured to log into
their domain. He has Windows XP Pro on both machines. He
has two user names listed under users both with admin
rights.

If I set him up to join a new workgroup in his new
location he seems to lose his Outlook access and contacts
and Office ask him to re-install. He has other apps that
seem to disappear.

I had to use system restore point to get his files back.

Is there a way to maintain his user settings, file access
etc... and not have his machines login to a domain or
point to the old domain?

HELP!!!
 
S

Scott M.

If you move him out of the domain, you will be creating a new profile for
him. All of his personal settings for each program will be lost. When
trying to run software that is on the machine under this new profile, yes,
you may find that the software acts as if it is being run for the first
time, because as far as Windows is concerned, this is a new user and so the
software IS being run for the first time (for this user).

As long as the machine remains part of the domain, he will have to log in
(of course, he can't because he really isn't part of the domain anymore).
So, here is what you need to do.

You mentioned Outlook. Usually, in a domain, Outlook accounts are stored on
a MS Exchange Server which means that the mail, contacts, calendar, etc.
aren't on the actual machine to begin with. There may be an offline storage
folder though so:

Search (from the START menu, then search files and folders) for files that
end with .pst or .ost. Copy what you find to a new folder that is just off
of the C drive. After making the folder, right click it and make sure that
encryption is NOT turned on for this folder and that its permissions allow
"Everyone" full access to the folder.

Move any other important data into this foler as well. As a matter of fact,
right click on the START button and choose Explore. Then copy the entire
START menu folder for this user and put it into the new folder you've
created.

When you are done backing up all the important files into the new folder
you've created, remove the computer from the domain and place it into a
Workgroup. As I mentioned before, a new profile will be created after this
and you will need to put all the files back where they came from, but for
this profile insted of the old one.

The software will lose its custom settings, but they can be re-configured.
The folder for the old profile can be deleted when you are done.
 
D

David Antoine

Thank you...

I have printed out your response and will give it a try. I'll keep you
posted on my results.

David
 

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