Windows Server 2. Essentials Connect Client PCs without Using a Domain. Windows Server 2. Essentials is a rock solid replacement for both Windows Home Server and Windows Small Business Server, but to take advantage of its best features, you have to join your client PCs to a domain. This is undesirable and unnecessarily complex in a home office or very small business. Administrator.gif' alt='Configure Auto Login Windows 7 Domain Profile' title='Configure Auto Login Windows 7 Domain Profile' />As administrators roll out Windows 7 to enterprise desktops, they should keep in mind these registry keys for managing logins, updates and security. Want to automatically log into your Windows 7 computer without typing a password In earlier versions of Windows, you had to remove the password associated. Windows 7 Auto Login with AutoAdminLogon Windows 7 Auto Login with AutoAdminLogon. The idea behind the Windows 7 Auto Login is that a username can logon at a. Fortunately, theres a workaround. Note This workaround is not  required for Windows 7 Starter or Home Premium, or Windows 8 Core. Please refer to Windows Server 2. Essentials Connecting Windows 7 And 8 Home Versions for information about connecting those Windows versions to Essentials 2. The way we were To understand whats going on here, lets review. Windows Server 2. Essentials, like Windows Home Server WHS 2. Small Business Server Essentials 2. PC environment, including centralized, image based backups of each PC. These backups can be used to restore individual files, folders, or even recover the entire PC, and they work much like Windows Backup did in Windows 7. In Essentials 2. 01. Windows 8, since that image based backup, while not completely eradicated, has been deprecated in favor of more modern technologies like Push Button Reset PC Reset and PC Restore and File History. Essentials 2. 01. File History backup and the ability to run the Essentials 2. Dashboard, in a Remote. App session alongside your other applications, rather than needing to remote desktop into the server. These and other benefits, however, require that you install the Connector software on each of your client PCs. Essentials 2. 01. Windows 7 and Windows 8, but theres a catch You must sign into the Active Directory domain you set up when you configured the server. Configure Auto Login Windows 7 Domain NameLearn how to configure hybrid Azure Active Directory joined devices. Windows Server 2012 Essentials is a rocksolid replacement for both Windows Home Server and Windows Small Business Server, but to take advantage of its. If youre familiar with WHS 2. Server provided a very similar Connector experience that did not require a domain configuration. In fact, WHS could not be configured as a domain controller at all. But Essentials 2. SBS Essentials 2. Setup. Thats a nice feature, sure, but it cant be skipped You get an AD domain whether you want on or not. And if you want to take advantage of some of Essentials best featurescentralized, image based backups and File History backups, for startersyou need the Connector software. And that means you need to join the domain. Using a domain at home I used the previous Essentials 2. Betathe current version is a Release Candidatein this fashion with several client PCs. When you install the Connector software which you do by visiting the Essentials 2. Setup refers to as your companys network. Electric Man 3 Hs Hacked Email. In real world terms, this means you must supply the user name and password for a valid domain user account which must have been previously configured on the server, reboot, and then sit through a new client account creation routine. In Windows 8, this humorously requires you to sit through that psychedelic color switching animation at the end of the out of box experience again. Once thats over, you run through a unique Connect a Computer to the Server wizard where you configure a computer description and whether to wake the computer to back it up. Automatic, image based backup is configured to the Client Computer Backups share on the server, as is automatic, File History based backups to the File History Backups share on the server. Two client applications are installed, Launchpad, which provides quick links to a few commonly needed tasks, and the Remote. App version of the server Dashboard, so you can manage the server without resorting to Remote Desktop or, God forbid, actual hands on usage. Theres also a handy pop up window that explains how you can use Windows Easy Transfer to migrate the stuff from your old account into your new domain based account. And remember You can still access Microsoft account syncing functionality while using a domain account. I explained how in Windows 8 Tip Sign In to a Domain and Still Use Live Services. Or, you could simply not use a domain account. Skipping the domain sign in Microsoft doesnt support it, but the software giant has actually published instructions on its Tech. Net web site describing the very simple steps you can take to connect a PC to the server without joining a domain. Basically, before connecting to your Essentials 2. HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows ServerClient. Deployment v Skip. Domain. Join t REGDWORD d 1 Then, just connect as you would if you were going to configure domain sign in. The PC will be connected to the server, automatic image based backups and File History backups will be configured, and youll get the same Launchpad and Remote. App Dashboard applications. But you wont have to migrate your account and everything else will work as before. The obvious question arises Should you do this Having already tried the domain route, Ive installed the Connector software on two of my PCs using the RC version of Windows Server 2. Essentials. Ive let the backup processes run, and Ive basically just used the PC normally. So far so good. Hopefully, by the time the final version of Essentials 2. Ill be able to provide a more concrete answer. But for now, know this The workaround is out there, and for those that felt the domain requirement was a bridge too far, this may give you the best of both worlds, a chance to access the best features of Microsofts latest Essentials server without needing to worry about the domain. Do you have other questions about using Windows Server 2. Please let me know.