Following up on the heels of my last Ask Jack post, DIY: Add Linux machines to a Windows domain, Quan Duong wants to know more. Read my “simple” answer to this reader’s question.

Q: I add an iMAC to a Domain successfully but I cannot log on using Domain users. The log on Windows only show the local iMAC login and I don’t see the choice for Domain users login. If I login with local user, I could use the network shares but I have to provide Domain users authentication every time. How do I log on using domain users?
A: By default, OS X has a very simple login screen that allows local users only to log in to the machine. To change this to a login screen that will allow logging in to domains, do the following:

  1. Open System Preferences.
  2. Go to the Accounts option and select Login Options.
  3. If Automatically Log In As is enabled, disable it.
  4. Under Display Login Window As, select the list of users from the radio buttons.
  5. If Fast User Switching is enabled, disable it.

After you complete the above configuration, restart the machine. Once the machine reboots, you should be able to log in with your domain credentials.

Ask Jack: If you have a DIY question, email it to me, and I’ll do my best to answer it. (Read guidelines about submitting DIY questions.)