How to lose "domain"/"primary DNS suffix"

  • Thread starter Thread starter AndyMHancock
  • Start date Start date
A

AndyMHancock

Long ago, I asked a LAN administrator to configure my Windows XP
laptop (and the network, I guess) so that my laptop was a member of
his domain Old.Domain.com. I could access email & network drives.
That time has long past, and I use the laptop nomadically now. It was
connected to someone's modem/router and pinging Computer2 on the same
router, but no response. The gateway was disconnected from the ISP,
and was acting as the local DNS. Nslookup showed that Computer2 was
converted to Computer2.Old.Domain.com, which is not correct. Having
Computer2 ping itself revealed the more complete path Computer.lan. I
tried specifying Computer.lan from the laptop, but it still converted
to Computer2.Old.Domain.com. After much rummaging around and
googling, I found that the Windows control panels that caused the
improper name qualifying for Computer2. It is in:

Start
-> Settings
-> Network Connections
-> Local Area Connection
-> Properties
-> General tab
-> subwindow "This connection uses the following items"
-> Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
-> Properties
-> Advanced button
-> DNS tab
-> Append primary and connection specific DNS suffixes

Since it is a nomadic laptop, I don't really have a default domain
suffix. I want to get rid of it. Unfortunately, that control panel
insists that some suffix be appended, regardless of whether it is
primary/connection-specific, or "these suffixes below" (a list that
apparently is not allowed to be empty!).

Well, I chose the primary/connection-specific suffix. The connection-
specific suffix was already blank (yay!), and the "?" button said that
I could get at the primary suffix through the "Computer Name" control
panel:

Start
-> Settings
-> Control Panel
-> System [Properties]
-> Computer Name tab
-> Change button

Basically, the primary DNS suffix was the domain membership that was
wired into this machine by the network administrator of long ago
(quite a friendly and helpful chap, don't get me wrong!).
Unfortunately, I can't change the domain because the OK button is
grayed out unless Domain is nonempty (and different from
Old.Domain.com). Just for kicks, I entered in a random string, but
Windows refuses to accept it because a domain controller can't be
found (of course). And it doesn't seem to matter whether I click the
More button and uncheck "Change primary DNS suffix when domain
membership changes".

I can circumvent the incorrect appending of Old.Domain.com, by
specifying the IP address of Computer2, but that's a pain.

Can I (using a local administrator account) lose the domain and/or the
primary DNS suffix?

Thanks!
 
More detail near the bottom of my original post....

Long ago, I asked a LAN administrator to configure my Windows XP
laptop (and the network, I guess) so that my laptop was a member of
his domain Old.Domain.com. I could access email & network drives.
That time has long past, and I use the laptop nomadically now. It was
connected to someone's modem/router and pinging Computer2 on the same
router, but no response. The gateway was disconnected from the ISP,
and was acting as the local DNS. Nslookup showed that Computer2 was
converted to Computer2.Old.Domain.com, which is not correct. Having
Computer2 ping itself revealed the more complete path Computer.lan. I
tried specifying Computer.lan from the laptop, but it still converted
to Computer2.Old.Domain.com. After much rummaging around and
googling, I found that the Windows control panels that caused the
improper name qualifying for Computer2. It is in:

Start
-> Settings
-> Network Connections
-> Local Area Connection
-> Properties
-> General tab
-> subwindow "This connection uses the following items"
-> Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
-> Properties
-> Advanced button
-> DNS tab
-> Append primary and connection specific DNS suffixes

Since it is a nomadic laptop, I don't really have a default domain
suffix. I want to get rid of it. Unfortunately, that control panel
insists that some suffix be appended, regardless of whether it is
primary/connection-specific, or "these suffixes below" (a list that
apparently is not allowed to be empty!).

Well, I chose the primary/connection-specific suffix. The connection-
specific suffix was already blank (yay!), and the "?" button said that
I could get at the primary suffix through the "Computer Name" control
panel:

Start
-> Settings
-> Control Panel
-> System [Properties]
-> Computer Name tab
-> Change button

Basically, the primary DNS suffix was the domain membership that was
wired into this machine by the network administrator of long ago
(quite a friendly and helpful chap, don't get me wrong!).
Unfortunately, I can't change the domain because the OK button is
grayed out unless Domain is nonempty (and different from
Old.Domain.com). Just for kicks, I entered in a random string, but
Windows refuses to accept it because a domain controller can't be
found (of course). And it doesn't seem to matter whether I click the
More button and uncheck "Change primary DNS suffix when domain
membership changes".
Click to expand...

The more button actuallly brings up a separate window, and beside the
said check box is a field that contains the DNS suffix aka domain name
which I'm trying to get rid of. Erasing it from this window has on
effect on the domain name, even after the reboot that windows prompts
for.
 
You should be able to dis-join the domain by adding it to a workgroup. Just
go back to the Computer name -> change window you previously described and
change the domain membership to workgroup membership by selecting the
workgroup radio button and typing in a workgroup name (try WORKGROUP). You
will be prompted for credentials; enter the local Admin creds. Changes take
effect after you restart.

Be aware however that you may have certain GPO settings which remain from
the domain. These will be lost when you disjoin the domain, so before you
begin you may want to create a restore point just in case undesirable results
occur. Alternatively, you may also want to run RSOP.msc from a command
prompt, save the output, then disjoin the domain. Then re-run the RSOP.msc
tool and compare settings. You can then resest any changed settings, which
came from domain policy and you wish to keep, by using the Group Policy
editor, gpedit.msc.
--
V2


[email protected] said:
More detail near the bottom of my original post....

Long ago, I asked a LAN administrator to configure my Windows XP
laptop (and the network, I guess) so that my laptop was a member of
his domain Old.Domain.com. I could access email & network drives.
That time has long past, and I use the laptop nomadically now. It was
connected to someone's modem/router and pinging Computer2 on the same
router, but no response. The gateway was disconnected from the ISP,
and was acting as the local DNS. Nslookup showed that Computer2 was
converted to Computer2.Old.Domain.com, which is not correct. Having
Computer2 ping itself revealed the more complete path Computer.lan. I
tried specifying Computer.lan from the laptop, but it still converted
to Computer2.Old.Domain.com. After much rummaging around and
googling, I found that the Windows control panels that caused the
improper name qualifying for Computer2. It is in:

Start
-> Settings
-> Network Connections
-> Local Area Connection
-> Properties
-> General tab
-> subwindow "This connection uses the following items"
-> Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
-> Properties
-> Advanced button
-> DNS tab
-> Append primary and connection specific DNS suffixes

Since it is a nomadic laptop, I don't really have a default domain
suffix. I want to get rid of it. Unfortunately, that control panel
insists that some suffix be appended, regardless of whether it is
primary/connection-specific, or "these suffixes below" (a list that
apparently is not allowed to be empty!).

Well, I chose the primary/connection-specific suffix. The connection-
specific suffix was already blank (yay!), and the "?" button said that
I could get at the primary suffix through the "Computer Name" control
panel:

Start
-> Settings
-> Control Panel
-> System [Properties]
-> Computer Name tab
-> Change button

Basically, the primary DNS suffix was the domain membership that was
wired into this machine by the network administrator of long ago
(quite a friendly and helpful chap, don't get me wrong!).
Unfortunately, I can't change the domain because the OK button is
grayed out unless Domain is nonempty (and different from
Old.Domain.com). Just for kicks, I entered in a random string, but
Windows refuses to accept it because a domain controller can't be
found (of course). And it doesn't seem to matter whether I click the
More button and uncheck "Change primary DNS suffix when domain
membership changes".
Click to expand...

The more button actuallly brings up a separate window, and beside the
said check box is a field that contains the DNS suffix aka domain name
which I'm trying to get rid of. Erasing it from this window has on
effect on the domain name, even after the reboot that windows prompts
for.
I can circumvent the incorrect appending of Old.Domain.com, by
specifying the IP address of Computer2, but that's a pain.

Can I (using a local administrator account) lose the domain and/or the
primary DNS suffix?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I'm going to have to research some of these things. Thanks for the
leads.

You should be able to dis-join the domain by adding it to a workgroup. Just
go back to the Computer name -> change window you previously described and
change the domain membership to workgroup membership by selecting the
workgroup radio button and typing in a workgroup name (try WORKGROUP). You
will be prompted for credentials; enter the local Admin creds. Changes take
effect after you restart.

Be aware however that you may have certain GPO settings which remain from
the domain. These will be lost when you disjoin the domain, so before you
begin you may want to create a restore point just in case undesirable results
occur. Alternatively, you may also want to run RSOP.msc from a command
prompt, save the output, then disjoin the domain. Then re-run the RSOP.msc
tool and compare settings. You can then resest any changed settings, which
came from domain policy and you wish to keep, by using the Group Policy
editor, gpedit.msc.
--
V2

[email protected] said:
More detail near the bottom of my original post....
Long ago, I asked a LAN administrator to configure my Windows XP
laptop (and the network, I guess) so that my laptop was a member of
his domain Old.Domain.com. I could access email & network drives.
That time has long past, and I use the laptop nomadically now. It was
connected to someone's modem/router and pinging Computer2 on the same
router, but no response. The gateway was disconnected from the ISP,
and was acting as the local DNS. Nslookup showed that Computer2 was
converted to Computer2.Old.Domain.com, which is not correct. Having
Computer2 ping itself revealed the more complete path Computer.lan. I
tried specifying Computer.lan from the laptop, but it still converted
to Computer2.Old.Domain.com. After much rummaging around and
googling, I found that the Windows control panels that caused the
improper name qualifying for Computer2. It is in:
Start
-> Settings
-> Network Connections
-> Local Area Connection
-> Properties
-> General tab
-> subwindow "This connection uses the following items"
-> Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
-> Properties
-> Advanced button
-> DNS tab
-> Append primary and connection specific DNS suffixes
Since it is a nomadic laptop, I don't really have a default domain
suffix. I want to get rid of it. Unfortunately, that control panel
insists that some suffix be appended, regardless of whether it is
primary/connection-specific, or "these suffixes below" (a list that
apparently is not allowed to be empty!).
Well, I chose the primary/connection-specific suffix. The connection-
specific suffix was already blank (yay!), and the "?" button said that
I could get at the primary suffix through the "Computer Name" control
panel:
Start
-> Settings
-> Control Panel
-> System [Properties]
-> Computer Name tab
-> Change button
Basically, the primary DNS suffix was the domain membership that was
wired into this machine by the network administrator of long ago
(quite a friendly and helpful chap, don't get me wrong!).
Unfortunately, I can't change the domain because the OK button is
grayed out unless Domain is nonempty (and different from
Old.Domain.com). Just for kicks, I entered in a random string, but
Windows refuses to accept it because a domain controller can't be
found (of course). And it doesn't seem to matter whether I click the
More button and uncheck "Change primary DNS suffix when domain
membership changes".
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
The more button actuallly brings up a separate window, and beside the
said check box is a field that contains the DNS suffix aka domain name
which I'm trying to get rid of. Erasing it from this window has on
effect on the domain name, even after the reboot that windows prompts
for.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top