Adding a computer to Active Directory

Preface:

Earlier, I showed you how to add users to your Active Directory domain. This tutorial will focus on how to add computers. This step is not "really" necessary for workstation computers - at least, I was able to add a Windows XP machine to my domain without adding the computer name first. This is section is really for looking at which computers join, and allow other servers to join as DC's, etc. I will show you how to add the computer using "Active Directory Users and Computers", then in other tutorials, I will demonstrate how to add a Windows 2000 computer and Windows XP computer to this domain.

Update:

Brian Desmond (Windows Server MVP) emailed me with the following information on why someone might want to add a computer to AD manually:

"By default a computer will get dumped in the Computers container, unless a Windows 2003 Native Mode Domain is inplace, and redircomp has been run to change this. Precreating computer accounts in OUs will ensure that when the unit is joined, it is in the correct OU, which guarantees policy consistency, and other administrative things. One can also specify who can reset the machine’s password. This will allow an admin to create an account for a computer, and let a normal user join the machine with their credentials."

Method:

Click Start, highlight "Administrative Tools" and select "Active Directory Users and Computers"

Expand your domain name, and right-click "Computers", highlight "New" then click "Computer"

In this dialog we have to type the name of the computer we want to add

In the next dialog just click "Next", then you will see a final report of what will be added, and you can click "Finish".

And, we're done!

You may also want to see the other Active Directory tutorials on the main page, including adding users, and existing Windows XP and Windows 2000 computers to the domain.

<-- Go back to the main tutorial page