How To Add Users to the Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access Group in Windows Server 2003

This step-by-step article describes the Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access group, and how to add members to the group by using either of the following methods:

• The Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in
• The command line

The Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access group is used for backward compatibility for computers that are running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 and earlier. Members of this group have Read access on all users and groups in the domain. Add users to this group only if they are running Windows NT 4.0 or earlier.

When you set up a Windows NT 4.0-based Remote Access Service (RAS) or Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) server as a member of a Windows Server 2003-based domain, you must make sure that the server can access the remote access credentials of domain accounts. This article describes how to add the Everyone special group to the Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access group. By doing so, you permit any RAS caller to be authenticated by the Windows NT 4.0 RAS server.

Add Users to the Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access Group by Using the Active Directory Users and Computers Snap-in

To add users to the Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access group:

1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. Expand the domain, and then click Builtin.
3. In the right pane, right-click the Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access group, and then click Properties.
4. Click the Members tab, and then click Add.
5. In the Select Users, Contacts, Computers or Groups dialog box, type everyone, click Check Names to verify the name, and then click OK.
6. Verify that Everyone is displayed in the Members list, and then click OK.
7. Quit the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.

Add Users to the Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access Group By Using the Command Line

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
3. At the command prompt, type the following line, where
   GroupName is the name of the group that you want to add, and then press ENTER:
   net localgroup "Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access" GroupName /add
   For example, to add the Everyone group, type the following line, and then press ENTER:
   net localgroup "Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access" everyone /add
4. Type exit, and then press ENTER to close the command prompt.