Does everyone have to start with a fresh user profile if we create a new AD Domain?

There are about 10 computers in this office and they are all laptops because we all use our computers on-site. For the most part everyone manages their own computer.

We want to set up Active Directory just for the single sign-on stuff and managing the permissions to shares on the NAS. I don't care about storing user data on a central machine, or probably most of the AD features.

But in my limited tests, joining the the domain means rebooting and logging in as a new user with new User directory, which is not going to fly with most of the people. I found some really hacky looking ways to copy over the local account, but doing that 10 times (and possibly breaking someone's computer) is not going to fly with me.

Solution 1:

Microsoft's User State Migration Tool is built exactly for this situation.

Solution 2:

In addition to ErikA's fine answer, you might consider impementing Microsoft Small Business Server 2011. In addition to making user and resource management easier, SBS also facilitates "migrating" local user profiles to domain profiles as part of the process of joining the computers to the domain.

Here's a brief video that illustrates the process:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaZcSJACLPE