Windows – How to join local AD domain during Windows 10 install

active-directorywindowswindows 10windows-domain

During Windows 10 install, I'd like to join my company's Active Directory domain instead of adding a new local user. Or maybe just login with the (hidden?) local Administrator-account.

During the install, I am asked if this is a personal or organizational computer. I choose organizational, as it is my company's computer. It then wants to sign in with a Microsoft account, but we use "normal" local AD on our own Windows Server. I can then click "Domain join instead", but this leads to a user creation process. Why is this, when I want to join a domain, where presumably my user should be located?

Is there any way to not create a local user during the install?

Set up for organization
Microsoft logon - nope, please
User creation process

Best Answer

You can automate the whole process using unattend.xml which is can be placed in the c:\windows\system32\sysprep folder.

This is only part of the file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <servicing></servicing>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <Identification>
                <JoinDomain>ad</JoinDomain>
                <JoinWorkgroup></JoinWorkgroup>
                <Credentials>
                    <Domain>domain_goes_here</Domain>
                    <Password>password_goes_here</Password>
                    <Username>username_goes_here</Username>
                </Credentials>
                <MachineObjectOU>OU=here,OU=there,OU=everywhere,DC=etc,DC=domain,DC=etc</MachineObjectOU>
            </Identification>
        </component>

There is no need to even see this screen if you complete the whole unattend.xml file.

Microsoft even provides a tool part of the MDT deployment toolkit to generate this file.

enter image description here

Step

  1. download and install MDT
  2. Copy windows DVD onto hard drive
  3. Launch Windows System Image manager
  4. Bottom left select the install.wim in folder in step 2

enter image description here

  1. Yes
  2. Wait........

When done the Answer file area looks like this

enter image description here

fully load

When done save your answer file.

Make a bootable USB drive and place it in the root folder of the USB drive.

Addition info:

https://win10.guru/windows-10-unattended-install-media-part-3-answer-file-for-oobe/

Related Question