Djoin.exe is a command-line utility that allows a Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2 machine to be joined to an Active Directory when it is offline. Djoin.exe automatically adds domain membership information into the computer’s Windows directory without requiring a reboot.
So, what exactly is an offline domain join?
Offline domain join is a technique that allows PCs running Windows® 7 or Windows Server® 2008 R2 to join a domain without first contacting a domain controller. This allows machines to be added to a domain even if they are not connected to the corporate network.
In a data center, for example, a company may need to install a large number of virtual machines. Offline domain join allows virtual machines to be connected to the domain when they first boot up after the operating system has been installed. There is no need to restart the computer to finish the domain join. This can greatly shorten the time necessary for large-scale virtual machine installations.
A domain join creates a trust connection between a machine running Windows and an Active Directory® domain. This process necessitates Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) state modifications as well as state changes on the machine that is joining the domain.
In the past, to accomplish a domain join using prior Windows® operating systems, the machine that joined the domain required to be running and have network access to contact a domain controller. In comparison to the preceding criteria, offline domain join offers the following advantages:
- The Active Directory state updates are carried out without causing additional network traffic to the machine.
- The modifications to the computer’s state are accomplished without requiring any network communication to a domain controller.
- Each set of adjustments can be performed at its own pace.
When computers are not part of your network and do not have access to the Active Directory infrastructure, it is difficult to add them to the domain. There is an offline method for joining machines to the domain.
To do this, you will need to write two PowerShell scripts. The first script will make the machine available to your Active Directory, and the second script will run the djoin command on the offline client to accomplish the offline join procedure.
First and foremost, Set up a computer
Step 2: Run the DJoin command again from the Task Sequence.
The Fundamentals of Joining Offline Domains
- Make use of the djoin /provision /domain /machine /savefile.txt command to save the file. To establish an Active Directory account for the computer, use the djoin /provision /domain /machine /savefile.txt command. This command must be executed from an administrative command line on a machine that presently has domain access.
- Copy the.txt file to the machine which would be joining the domain from a remote location.
- On the machine being connected to the domain, type djoin /requestODJ /loadfile.txt /windowspath % SystemRoot % /localos. This script must be executed from a command – line with administrator privileges.
- Restart the PC that is joining the domain. The computer will be added to the domain when it reboots.
You will have to use the Djoin command to create the computer account. You cannot create the computer account using Active Directory Users and Computers since you are required to export the data to a .txt file that will be transferred to the new machine. Active Directory Users and Machines should be used to pre-stage computer accounts for computers that will join the domain by contacting a domain controller when they join.
To finish the offline domain join, the Djoin /RequestODJ command is used on the machine joining the domain. This, however, wouldn’t be the first action in the procedure. To join the domain, you would not need the Netsh command. Netsh is often used to manage networking components such as TCP/IPv4, TCP/IPv6, and the Windows Firewall from the command line.
In Windows 10, how do I join a domain?
Search for Settings, then click on System, then locate About on the Windows 10 PC, then select Join a domain.
- Input the name of the Domain and press the Next button.
- Enter the account details needed to verify the Domain and then click OK.
- Allow time for your PC to be verified on the Domain.
- When you get this screen, click Next.
Is djoin.exe trustworthy, or is it infected with a virus or malware?
The location of the executable itself will help you establish whether a given file is a normal Windows process or a virus. The path to djoin.exe, for example, will most likely be C:\Program Files\Microsoft Corporation\Windows 10 Operating System\ djoin.exe
To find its path, launch Task Manager, navigate to View -> Pick Columns, and then select “Image Path Name” to add a location field to your Task Manager. If you detect a questionable directory here, you should look into this procedure further.
Microsoft’s Process Explorer is another tool that might occasionally assist you in detecting problematic processes. Start the application (no installation is required) and choose “Check Legends” from the Options menu. Go to View -> Select Columns and add “Verified Signer” as a column.
If a process’s “Verified Signer” status is “Unable to Verify,” you should take a closer look at it. Not all safe Windows processes own a Verified Signature label, but none of the bad ones do either.
Typical error messages experienced when using djoin.exe
The following are the most typical djoin.exe errors:
- “djoin.exe is not running.”
- “djoin.exe not found.”
- “Error starting program: djoin.exe.”
- “Faulting Application Path: djoin.exe.”
- “djoin.exe is not a valid Win32 application.”
- “Cannot find djoin.exe.”
- “djoin.exe Application Error.”
- “djoin.exe failed.”
- “djoin.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.”
These error messages can appear during the installation of a program, the execution of its associated software application, the starting or shutting down of Windows, or perhaps even the installation of the Windows operating system. When it comes to troubleshooting, keeping a log of where and when your djoin.exe problem occurs is critical.
Djoin Error Troubleshooting
One of the greatest methods to avoid difficulties with djoin.exe is to keep your computer clean and neat. This includes running virus scans, wiping your hard drive with cleanmgr and sfc /scannow, removing programs you no longer use, tracking any auto-start programs (through msconfig), and activating automatic Windows updates.
Don’t forget to create frequent backups or, at the absolute least, recovery points. If you have a more serious issue, try to recall the very last action you took or the last program you installed prior to the problem.
To discover the processes that have been triggering your issue, use the resmon command. Even if you have major problems, instead of reinstalling Windows, attempt to fix it or, in the case of Windows 8, run the command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth. This enables you to fix the operating system without losing any data.