How to add the DOMAIN feature to Windows XP Home Edition?

Windows XP Home cannot join domains. This is a feature only available on XP Professional.

The Home and Professional editions of Windows XP are nearly identical; the only differences are additional features found in the Professional edition that most likely won't appeal to home users. The primary differences, aside from the price and the color of the packaging, are as follows: Windows XP Home Edition Contains basic support for security among multiple users. Built-in support for peer-to-peer networking, but only for up to five computers. The backup utlity is not installed by default, but is included on the CD. Windows XP Professional Edition Includes extended support for security between multiple users on the same machine. Better support for peer-to-peer networking, plus support for joining a "Windows NT domain." The backup utlity is installed by default. The Professional edition includes the following components not found in the Home edition: Administrative Tools (in the Start Menu and Control Panel) Automated System Recovery (ASR) Boot Configuration Manager DriverQuery Group Policy Refresh Utility Multi-lingual User Interface (MUI) add-on NTFS Encryption Utilitiy Offline Files and Folders OpenFiles Performance Log Manager Remote Desktop Scheduled Tasks Console Security Template Utility Taskkill Tasklist Telnet Administrator

First, you have to be connected to a network that has at least one Domain Controller also connected to the same network.

If your PC is running XP Home this suggests you are working from home. If this is true, no insult intended but, it suggests you do not fully understand the nature or purpose of a Domain.

It is true XP Home can become a Client on a Domain in a limited capacity no self respecting System Administrator would ever make this choice. Several topics must be considered and decisions made in order to accomplish this successfully.

If it were me, I would choose to replace the XP Home with XP Pro no matter is standalone or on a Domain.

Good luck.

Home Domain Controller

Right-click on My Computer, choose Properties.

Click the "Computer Name" tab and click the "Change" button.

Click the radio button next to "Domain" and enter the domain. Then you'll be prompted for an admin account on that domain to let you join it.

XP Home cannot join domains, but you can alter it so that it can:

http://vowe.net/archives/001639.html

You have to have pro.