Hi, Here is my situation. I'm a developer, my knowledge about setting networks are not very sofisticated. I installed windows server 2003 R2 and set up Active directory,IIS,SMTP, I configured that machine to be a domain controller I installed Microsoft Exchange 2003 and test it every thing is OK I installed Sql server 2008 I installed a VMWare workstation 6.5 on that machine in which I installed Windows Vista(The Bridged option is chosen in my case as if this terminal station is independent form the server) My purpose is to set up a small network lab where windows 2003 plays the role of the server and the VMWare vista one play the role of a member of that server in order to install sharepoint foundation 2010 and other systems for testing my proper developments Considering that I'm null on networking, how step by step to set that network lab Thank youThe complexity resides in the simplicity

Hi, if you have jet installed and configured your server and you have installed Windows Vista in virtual machine you have only to set network properties of Vista with an ip address on the same subnet of server, put server's ip address as DNS server. Then you can try to ping from Vista the ip address of domain controller and, if succeeds, you can join the client to domain. HTHEdoardo Benussi - Microsoft MVP Management Infrastructure - Systems Administration https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/Profile/Benussi Windows Server Italian Forum Moderator edo[at]mvps[dot]org

Hi OK, and how to access to the domain from vista(excuse me fro being a begginer in that) when I restarted the vista, I have to get three fields one for the user(that could be a part of the active directory), the password and the Domain In my case I m prompted for the password only Thank youThe complexity resides in the simplicity

First you have to logon on domain controller, run "Active Directory Users and Computers", create a new user account with username and password. Then, in Windows Vista, you will put this credentials as username and password, while domain is your domain name. Edoardo Benussi - Microsoft MVP Management Infrastructure - Systems Administration https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/Profile/Benussi Windows Server Italian Forum Moderator edo[at]mvps[dot]org

Hi again, I added a new user in the AD as you said, say that the domain is DOMAINPC and the new user is named test, if you try to add that user from within vista then it doesn't accept user with this format DOMAINPC\test, I think there are some steps to do at vista level to render the server domain recognisable from it( I main Vista machine Of Corse) Thank youThe complexity resides in the simplicity

have you joined Vista machine to your domain ? http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/domains2/how-do-i-join-my-windows-vista-machine-to-a-domain-.aspxEdoardo Benussi - Microsoft MVP Management Infrastructure - Systems Administration https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/Profile/Benussi Windows Server Italian Forum Moderator edo[at]mvps[dot]org

oops, windows vista home premium couldn't join a domain, what a chance I haveThe complexity resides in the simplicity

none chance. you need Vista Business or Ultimate. ref: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/products/compare?T1=tab01Edoardo Benussi - Microsoft MVP Management Infrastructure - Systems Administration https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/Profile/Benussi Windows Server Italian Forum Moderator edo[at]mvps[dot]org