HOWTO: Add A Domain User as an Administrator in Windows XP

Network User As Local Administrator

This HOWTO explains how you can add any user on your networks domain as a local administrator on a Windows XP PC.

It also explains the difference between a Domain User and a Local User for your information.

Typically a domain user is a user who has a user profile on a Primary Domain Controller (PDC – a server that manages the users and often other functions on a network).

When a Domain User logs into a PC on the network their username and password are validated by the PDC and if correct allow the user to log on to that PC.

A Local User is a user who has a user profile on the Windows XP PC that you are trying to log on to and is validated by that PC and not a Domain Controller.

This HOWTO explains how you can add a Domain User as an Administrator (i.e. will have full administration access) on the local Windows XP PC.

Solution

1. Log on to the Windows XP PC as a Local User with Administration access.



The default local user in Windows XP should already have Administrator access by default.

2. After you are successfully logged in and the desktop has finished loading:
   1. Right Click on My Computer icon either on your desktop or in your Start Menu
   2. Select Manage
   3. In the left pane, click Local Users and Groups
   4. In the right pane, double click on Groups
   5. In the right pane, double click on Administrators
   6. Click the Add.. button
   7. Type in the full user name including the Domain name like the example below:

   Example:

   DOMAIN1\joebloggs

   Be sure to change DOMAIN1 to the name of your own domain and joebloggs to the username of the user you wish to add.

   8. Click OK
   9. Click OK
   10. Close the Computer Management window
3. Log off Windows
4. Attempt to login with the username you just added.  Be sure to select the Domain in the Windows login box.