From Active Directory domain (Windows 2003 Server) to simple workgroup

This is how to convert an Windows XP pro user belonging to an Active Directory domain into a simple user belonging to a workgroup.

1 – login to the local machine as an administrator
2 – create a new local machine user (the user must be of the local machine, not the main domain user ) : this is done in control panel advanced tab
3 – exit administrator
4 – at login choose in option the local machine and enter with the newly create local user credentials (this will create local user directory and stanrdard files)
5 – quit the local user
4 – enter with the domain user credentials
5 – clean the account as much as you can: for example (use some tool like Advanced System Care), remove Outlook pst file belonging to IMAP accounts, delete IMAP profile folder of Thunderbird, move anyfile is not necessay to another folder
6 – quit domain user and enter again as an administrator of the domain
7 – open Explorer and go to c:\Document and Setting You will see a folder with the user name and the folder of the newly created local user. For example , if the Domain User is “mark” you should find the folder “mark” and if also the local user is “mark” You will see another folder mark.pcname where “pcname” is the ID (name) of the pc
8 – Open Eplorer and into preferences enable the view of the hidden files
9 – You should see now folder lik “Application Data” etc.
10 – select all folders but not .ini files and “copy” (you are in the domain user directory )
11 – go to local user directory you created and paste folders into
12 – when the copy is finished close explore and select “property” on the “my Computer” icon on the desktop ,
13 – change the ID of the pc changing from “domain” to “workgroup” (You will need the password of the Domain Administrator)
14 – reboot computer
15 – enter desktop as the new loca user