Hello all. I am setting up a laptop for a new user on our server, and while trying to add the user account locally to the laptop from my server administrator account, I'm receiving a message that "The user could not be added because the following error has occurred: The trust relationship between this workstation and the primary domain failed."
Thank you in advance for any help. I'd be glad to provide any other information that may be helpful in solving this. I have searched some, but have discovered that most help I've found is too jargoned for me to truly understand. I can handle most basic things, which is why our company (that doesn't have a formal IT person) has me handling most IT issues.
I am talking about the laptop. start > run > sysdm.cpl > click 'change' next to rename this computer or change it's domain or workgroup > make it workgroup > reboot > repeat the process and then after you click change just add it back to the domain.
Dumb question: It says that to re-join the domain, I'll need the local administrator's password to log in. Would that be mine or a user account specific to the computer (not the domain)? I haven't been able to identify anything that specifically states if there's an administrator specific to the computer.
When it looked like what's in picture #5, it was much easier to decipher, but it looks different now and I can't make heads or tails out of it.
I changed it to a workgroup and restarted. Now it is only giving me the option of logging in as one account, which isn't an administrator. I can click "start > (arrow next to shut down) > switch user" and it takes me to the login screen where there is only the one user name with no other options for "switch user," "other user," or something similar.
ISSUE: The trust relationship between this workstation and the primary domain failed.
CAUSE: Corruption within the computer credentials, either on the domain (active directory) or the computer.
RESOLUTION: Remove the computer from the domain and, if necessary, from Active Directory. Then rejoin the computer after a restart.
First and foremost, you need to have domain admin rights to complete the resolution. If you do not have that then you are not going to be able to do much in a domain environment.
What you are seeing for the log in screen is what you would do if it's like a home computer with multiple local user accounts. It will not ask you for any domain accounts. If you are not able to log in as a local admin account then worse case scenario you will need to reformat and redo the computer so you can have an admin account.
If you are able to get in with a local admin account, and have domain admin rights, then complete the resolution.
Fwiw, I had this error today on a workstation. Total time to resolution was 5 minutes including the two reboots. Couriant just described the exact fix I did, and indeed, if you dont have the domain admin creds, you will not be able to rejoin it. You still havent answered if you are the IT for your company or not.
Just an FYI, you don't even need to change to a workgroup, just re-join it domain again. To log in just disconnect the network cable and log in with either a domain account that has previously logged on to that workstation or with a local admin account.
I contacted our contracted IT person and this was resolved.
Pseudo-IT is a very accurate description. I do have the credentials, just not the know-how. I work for a mid-sized non-profit (80-ish employees) and a dedicated IT staff isn't in the budget, so I do what I can and call for backup when necessary.
Thank you all for your help.
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