Cannot Join Microsoft NT Domain - Device is joined to Azure AD

General / Background

The if the reader has received the error message seen above with "This device is joined to Azure AD. To join an Active Directory domain, ...", this is the KB for you.

Do date (2024-03-28), this issue has only been expeerienced when trying to join a new computer to a Microsoft NT Domain AFTER having already connecting to Microsoft using a Microsoft ID (in creating the first user profile on said computer).

This siduation may be avoiced by NOT using a Microsoft ID during the initial setup of a new computer and, instead, using an "old school" local domain account. There are documented procedures for that which will be linked here in the future.

Microsoft IDs may still beused for licensing and other purposes, just not for setting up user profiles on computers. While not tried, nor recommended, it could be that a Microsoft ID based profile may be used AFTER joining an NT domain, but....

This document only addresses how to regain the ability to join a desired Microsoft ND Domain, once having come across the following error while unsuccessfully attempting to join said domain.

Standing Operating Procedure - Regain Ability to Join a Microsoft Domain

Note:

• Use caution, this document and procedures assume a strong understanding of the operating system(s) involved and computers in general.
• Since the advent of Windows 10, Microsoft has changed app & application names and how they are accessed. Thus, the procedures documented herein are likely to not agree what your given version of the Windows 10+ operating systems as time progresses.
• Given the above, item, be prepared to use the search function(s) available within the operating system. If searching, often old names will find the desired app/application under the new current name. Be prepared to use said app/application under the new name (while being prepared for it to be the incorrect app/application.
• As noted above not only may the app/application name change but their location may and will change from time to time.
• For, possibly, some level of clarity, this document will use the phrase Microsoft ID specifically when connecting to a Microsoft account or service. Microsoft has used the phrases Microsoft account and Microsoft ID almost interchangeably. Conversely, this document will refer to coporate/organizational ND domain accounts as an NT user ID. Obviously, this can all be confusing but we will do our best to be specific in our nomenclature while working in this topic. Please do use the webmaster link at the bottom of this document to report any mistakes or areas that are not clear or could be clarified.

The Procedure: