Change from domain to workgroup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kurt
  • Start date Start date
K

Kurt

I moved to a new work area. The old area used a domain. The
new area uses workgroups. I have a mixture of XP and 2000
Pro machines. I can go to System Properties/Computer Name
where there is the option "To rename this computer or join
a domain." If I use that to change from a domain to a
workgroup, will all my settings and files stay or will they
disappear as if I were a new user?
 
You'll have a new profile as your cached domain profile won't be available.
You can try copying it in control panel, system, or if you really haven't
customized too much, just redirect the My Documents icon to point to another
local folder (I personally like creating C:\DATA) and click Move..... move
any items off your desktop to My Documents, copy your favorites folder from
c:\documents and settings\username\favorites, and you can just create your
new profile.
 
I was afraid I would lose the old profile, and thought I
would ask before losing it. One solution I used in another
situation was to use the XP "Files and Settings Transfer
Wizard". I created a folder "c:\transfer" on the machine,
used the wizard to copy the files and settings from the
domain user account into that folder, created the new
workgroup user account, then used the wizard to transfer in
the old files and settings. Seemed like way too much work
to do such a simple thing! And, I believe it only works
transferring to an XP machine.
 
Yes, that works only in WinXP. Like I said, there is a means to copy
profiles, but I have never had it work quite right - so I generally just
bite the bullet & recreate them, provided there aren't that many. I don't
like using the default My Documents folders anyway - too many bad things can
happen to profile folders.
 
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