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How to Join Windows Media Center 2005 to a Domain

July 4, 2011

How to enable your Windows Media Center Edition 2005 install to join a Windows domain – only to be used by experienced users.

You will need to use Reg edit in Windows XP Media Center 2005 to unlock the previously “greyed out” join domain option. This method is pretty complex but confirmed to work.This will allow you to leave and join domains within Windows Media Center Edition 2005.

  1. Insert Windows XP CD.
  2. Start > Run > X:i386winnt32.exe /cmdcons
  3. Replace X: with the appropriate drive letter
  4. Acknowledge prompt by clicking ‘Yes’
  5. Skip updating process by clicking ‘Cancel’ or by pressing ‘Esc’
  6. After installation, acknowledge success msg. by clicking ‘Ok’
  7. Start > Shutdown > Restart
  8. At boot menu, select ‘Microsoft Windows Recovery Console’
  9. Select proper installation to log onto (default: 1) and press ‘Enter’
  10. (If prompted, enter Administrator password and press ‘Enter’)
  11. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘cd system32config’
  12. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘copy SYSTEM C:’
  13. Type (without quotes) and press enter: exit
  14. At boot menu, select ‘Windows XP Media Center Edition’
  15. Start > Run > Type: ‘regedit’ and press enter
  16. Click on ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE’
  17. File > Load Hive…
  18. Browse and select C:SYSTEM
  19. Specify key name ‘BANANA’ and click OK
  20. Expand: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > BANANA > WPA > MedCtrUpg
  21. On the right-hand side, double-click IsLegacyMCE value
  22. Change selected value to 1 and click Ok. (THAT IS NOT AN L!)
  23. Click on BANANA subkey (under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
  24. File > Unload Hive. Confirm.
  25. Start > Shutdown > Restart
  26. At boot menu, select ‘Microsoft Windows Recovery Console’
  27. Select proper installation to log onto (default: 1) and press ‘Enter’
  28. (If prompted, enter Administrator password and press ‘Enter’)
  29. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘cd ‘
  30. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘copy SYSTEM C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM’
  31. Yes, you want to overwrite – Go ahead and do it
  32. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘del SYSTEM’
  33. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘exit’
  34. At boot menu, select ‘Windows XP Media Center Edition’
  35. Join domain.