How to remove computer from domain

[Paul T]

You seem to have exhausted the standard checks so that leaves 2 options.
1. The original owners loaded a program that controls the IE settings directly. I've not heard of this sort of program, but anything's possible. Check Add/Remove Programs for any unusual programs. Remove Akamai while you are there.
2. You have a virus. Have you run a scan lately?

cheers, Paul

[Urge]

I have run a virus scan with Avast, and run both Superantispyware and Malwarebytes antispyware scans and turned up nothing. I don't believe this computer went online very often. I uninstalled the Akamai program but it did nothing. I recognize all the programs installed on the computer that are in Add/Remove programs.This computer has both Office 2007 and Photoshop on it so I am reluctant to start over because I don't otherwise own either one.

Urge

[JoeP517]

See if anything at How to reset Internet Explorer settings helps.

Joe

[Urge]

Since I couldn't access inetcpl.cpl it didn't help. I just read on another forum @ cnet that Spybot might be able to undo it. Any thoughts on this? I think I will download it and see.

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[Urge]

OK I went into C:\WINDOWS\ie7 and double clicked on inetcpl.cpl and it opened internet properties!!!

Xircal wrote...

You could also try resetting IE to default settings. The "Reset" button is located in IE Properties (right click the IE icon on your desktop) | Advanced tab.

I don't see anything here that would cause this problem. I placed a shortcut to this on the desktop. I changed my home page and I can use IE although I still can't access internet options from IE or control panel but I can access it.

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[Prescott]

Take a look at this:

http://www.velocityreviews.com/forum...omain-how.html

Most of it is people who don't know what to do, but if you go to the bottom, djlawler advises using the Microsoft Sysprep tool.

It might damage your system, or it might just not fix what you need to fix, but it would be worth a try when you have gotten to the point where you are ready to reinstall XP anyway.

[Urge]

If the point of doing this is to remove this computer from a domain and place it in a workgroup then I think I have already done this. At least the computer is telling me it is in a workgroup. My only goal at this point is to get back access to internet options in IE and in the control panel. The internet properties page that opens when I clic inetcpl.cpl in C:\WINDOWS\ie7 does not have the reset button that internet options does. It only has a restore defaults button which just changes the checked boxes on that page. It seems to me that if I could get that page back I could regain access to the internet options reset button which would probably fix my issue.

djlawler wrote...

I found a way to do this. Get Microsoft's Sysprep tool. Run it - select 'reseal' and mini setup and let it reboot the computer. During the mini-setup that then runs - put the computer into a workgroup of your choosing. When you are done - all the software you have is still there (and drivers and patches). Some user setings may be altered - but it is better than reloading everything.

Will the Sysprep tool do this or just put me in a workgroup? What does "Some user setings may be altered" mean? I am going to read up on the Sysprep tool.

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[Paul T]

The normal way to disable IE settings is via group policy and that just changes some registry values. I think you said that Firefox works and that is consistent with group policy being applied to IE. You need to find the registry entries that control the IE settings and remove them, or re-install Windows from scratch.

cheers, Paul