I am a little confused on what to do after joining a Win 2003 file Svr to a domain. Here is what i am unclear of; The servers name is 'Win03FileSvr' after I join it to a domain it will be listed as a computer on the Win2003 AD computer. At this point do i log into this computer with the domain selected or with the computer name selected in order for it to be a file server?? I have a Win2000svr acting as a DHCP server for this LAN, I joined it to the same domain, its listed under computers in the AD. But when i turn the computer on to have it act as a DHCP server for this network - i logged into it with its computer name in the log into box, not the domain. This DHCP server is working fine. am i correct in how to log into this file server for it to act as a file server on this network? do not log into the domain - log into it with the computer name selected?

At this point do i log into this computer with the domain selected or with the computer name selected in order for it to be a file server?? You set up the shares and file permissions, biased on the AD groups you have previously defined. It don't matter which administrative account you use to do this, so long as it gets done. i logged into it with its computer name in the log into box, not the domain. This DHCP server is working fine. What's wrong with using your DC as your DHCP? am i correct in how to log into this file server for it to act as a file server on this network? Wait, do you believe the server will only function when/if someone is logged in locally?

I didn't want the DC to also be a dhcp server, i wanted to have a seperate server doing this. so the file server and dhcp server will function the same wether i initially log into the computer with the domain selected or the computer name selected? whats the correct way for the servers to be logged into? so the file server/dhcp server will not be physically touched once they are turned on and logged into?

so the file server and dhcp server will function the same wether i initially log into the computer with the domain selected or the computer name selected? Which logon you use to configure a server is irrelevant, as long as that logon has the required permissions to do said configuration. I'd probably use my AD logon, simply because it's easier to remember than the individual boxes' admin logons, and I know it has the ability to walk the AD tree. whats the correct way for the servers to be logged into? Using a logon that provides the smallest number of permissions required to do the job at hand. so the file server/dhcp server will not be physically touched once they are turned on and logged into? Once the server is installed, no one should physically touch the unit until something breaks horribly, or you retire the server. Its console should be left at the, "Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete" dialog for the duration of the server's operational life.

i set the AD administrator password as 'canman', for each server (DC,DHCP,file server) the local administrator password is 'qqqwww'. so log into each server at the domain account using AD administrator account-- 'canman' if i make shares in the file server logged in using the local administrator account, then logout, and log back in with the AD administrator account will the shares be available to AD users?

You're . . . Not getting this whole ACL model, are you? A quick Google search turned up an article on Window's access model.

i thought that if i log in locally as admin then i can do admin work on the local computer. but if i log in to the same computer with the admin account but this time using the AD admin account isn't this totally different??? i will still have the same permissions/rights on this computer as i would if i logged in with the local admin account?