Joining a domain on Microsoft Windows Media Center 2005

(legacy article)

When using a Microsoft Windows XP Media Center SKU, the ability to join domains is crippled. If you insist on joining a domain with your Media Centers and accept the fact you will likely break extender capabilities, perform the following steps.

1. Insert Windows XP CD.
2. Click Start, Run and issue the following command: X:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons
   (replace X: with the appropiate drive letter)
3. Acknowledge prompt by clicking ‘Yes’.
4. Skip updating process by clicking ‘Cancel’ or by pressing ‘Esc’
5. After installation, acknowledge success msg. by clicking ‘Ok’
6. Start > Shutdown > Restart
7. At boot menu, select ‘Microsoft Windows Recovery Console’
8. Select proper installation to log onto (default: 1) and press ‘Enter’
   (If prompted, enter Administrator password and press ‘Enter’)
9. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘cd system32\config’
10. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘copy SYSTEM C:\’
11. Type (without quotes) and press enter: exit
12. At boot menu, select ‘Windows XP Media Center Edition’
13. Start > Run > Type: ‘regedit’ and press enter
14. Click on ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE’.
15. File > Load Hive…
16. Browse and select C:\SYSTEM
17. Specify key name ‘BANANA’ and click OK
18. Expand: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > BANANA > WPA > MedCtrUpg
19. On the right-hand side, double-click IsLegacyMCE value
20. Change selected value to 1 and click Ok.
21. Click on BANANA subkey (under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE).
22. File > Unload Hive. Confirm.
23. Start > Shutdown > Restart
24. At boot menu, select ‘Microsoft Windows Recovery Console’
25. Select proper installation to log onto (default: 1) and press ‘Enter’
    (If prompted, enter Administrator password and press ‘Enter’)
26. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘cd \’
27. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘copy SYSTEM C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM’
    (Yes, you want to overwrite)
28. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘del SYSTEM’
29. Type (without quotes) and press enter: ‘exit’
30. At boot menu, select ‘Windows XP Media Center Edition’
31. Join domain.