How to enable Windows 98 clients to logon to Windows 2003 based Domains

There is loads of conflicting information regarding configuring Windows 98 clients to join a 2003 domain. This document from Microsoft is a great example of conflicting information.

If you follow this document, you are advised to install the Active Directory Client Extensions for Windows 95/98 and Windows NT 4.0. Then make a couple of registry changes and voila.
The reality is different. We followed the Microsoft instructions to the letter and were unable to join the domain with the Windows 98 client machine. Every time we tried to log onto the domain, we had an error stating Incorrect password or parameter.

Here's the basics of configuring Windows 98 to join a domain. Right click Network Neighbourhood and click properties. Then select Client For Microsoft Networks and click the properties button. Tick the "Log on to Windows NT Domain" and enter the domain name in the "Windows NT Domain" box - note you do not need to enter the .com or .local extension for the domain name.

We found you were then able to log onto the domain without any of the registry changes or AD Client extensions as recommended. In fact, when we had the AD client extensions installed and with the registry changes, we were unable to logon. Work that one out!

You will find that the computer is not added into the Computers OU. So you might want to add that manually.

During logon, a logon script tries to execute and doesn't. We will be continuing to test out the windows 98 and SBS 2003 set-up and making changes over the next few weeks. We will also be testing out System Policies for W98. I will blog all findings as usuall. Watch this space.