What changes are made to Windows workstation when it joins JLAB Domain?

The CUE is an acronym for Common User Environment and is the computing environment provided and supported by the JLAB Computer Center. When a Windows system join the JLAB domain, we refer it as CUEd.

There have been many inquiries from users about what really is happening behind the scenes to their PC when they join CUE. The JLAB is serviced by Windows 2000 Active Directory (AD). The AD is great improvement from Widows NT 4.0 domain by using Group Policies instead of conventional NT 4.0's Policies. The main difference between those two are when you leave JLAB domain, Group Policy removes itself, where as NT policy stays.

We are still use NT Policies on Windows NT 4.0 systems but use Group Policies on Windows 2000 and XP systems.

The following information details the changes that are made and the explanations for them.

Logon banner

The logon banner is added to all systems automatically when they join the JLAB domain. This logon banner is required to be displayed by DOE regulations for every government owned machine. This banner is being add to the registry of individual machines. If a user deletes the registry entry manually, it will be readded to the registry on their next login to the JLAB domain.

For Windows NT 4.0 systems: You can find this registry entry from:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Under that subtree, you will find two entries:

LegalNoticeCaption

LegalNoticeText

If you are at home using your personal machine, and somehow this banner is displayed to your system, you can edit the registry to get rid of the banner page.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Use the Registry Editor at your own risk.

For Windows 2000/XP systems: You can find this registry entry from:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system

Under that subtree, you will find two entries:

LegalNoticeCaption

LegalNoticeText

JLAB-CUE Icon

Once you join the JLAB domain and login to the JLAB domain, you will find the JLAB-CUE icon inside of the Programs in the Start menu. In the JLAB-CUE icon, users can find various supported programs to install, various patches, and some useful tools.

Maint Account

When an NT machine joins the JLAB domain, the Maint account is added automatically as a local administrator. This account is used for troubleshooting purpose only (i.e. when a user loses the local administrator password and can't login as an administrator, or when Computer Center Staff need to work on the user's machine and the user is not available). Users should not delete this account.

Login Script

When a user logs into the domain, a login script is executed based upon their group (cue.bat for most users, bussiness.bat for business service, cue-hr.bat for Human resources, ...etc). There are three parts in the logon script; System Management Server (SMS) client installation, mapping drives, and checking News messages.

System Management Server (SMS) client installation:

REM Microsoft Systems Management Server (start)
REM SMS Build 1493

call %0\..\smsls
REM Microsoft Systems Management Server (end)

Mapping Drives:

net use J: \\jlabhome\%USERNAME% /yes
net use K: \\JLABSITE\site /yes
net use L: \\JLABAPPS\apps /yes
net use M: \\JLABGRP\group /yes

if NOT EXIST %SystemRoot%\pathman.exe copy \\jlabapps\apps\Tools\pathman.exe %SystemRoot%\pathman.exe
pathman /au l:\bin

Checking News messages:

@ECHO OFF
SET MAKE_MODE=UNIX
SET PATH=L:\cygnus\CYGWIN~0\H-I586~0\bin;l:\cygnus\CYGWIN~0\bin;l:\cygnus\usr\local\bin;%PATH%
SET HOME=J:\
set NEWS=K:\user_news
SET PATH=%NEWS%\NT\bin;%PATH%
C:
bash -rcfile %NEWS%\NTrc

TodayNT.bat

@ECHO OFF
SET MAKE_MODE=UNIX
SET PATH=L:\cygnus\CYGWIN~0\H-I586~0\bin;l:\cygnus\CYGWIN~0\bin;l:\cygnus\usr\local\bin;%PATH%
SET HOME=J:\
set NEWS=K:\user_news
SET PATH=%NEWS%\NT\bin;%PATH%
C:
bash -rcfile %NEWS%\TodayNT

NewsNT.bat

@ECHO OFF
SET MAKE_MODE=UNIX
SET PATH=L:\cygnus\CYGWIN~0\H-I586~0\bin;l:\cygnus\CYGWIN~0\bin;l:\cygnus\usr\local\bin;%PATH%
SET HOME=J:\
set NEWS=K:\user_news
SET PATH=%NEWS%\NT\bin;%PATH%
C:
bash -rcfile %NEWS%\NewsNT

This document is maintained by {helpdesk@jlab.org}