Adding Windows 10 Clients to Windows Server Essentials 2016

I am trying to add Windows 10 clients to Windows Server essentials 2016. It seem that in order for the server to see the clients I must the clients join the server server Domain. (Currently they are in a workgroup).

It looks like one has to change the Windows10 clients to access the WSE-2016 DNS. So in windows 10 I go to networks, bring up the adaptor setting. Bring up "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IvP4) and instead of "Obtain the DNS address automatically" change it to always get the DNS address on the WSE-2016 (found with ipconfig).
Then within Windows I use “System”, “about”, and Join the server DOMAIN. It now works. The client can now see the Server domain.
I can then see the Server files and the server can see the Windows 10 shared files.
There are still problems however.
When I reboot the Windows 10 client. I have a brand new user screen with only some of my original desktop icons showing. Do I have to essentially rebuild up everything on my desktop again!
Question: Is there not a way to have my original desktop appear when I am joined to the Domain.
Second, since there will be times when the server is off I used the router static DNS IP address as the alternative address in the above dialog box of the Windows10 clients. Seems to work since the client can access the internet even with the WSE 2016 off.
Here is my second question. I have a few home laptops as well. If I force the DNS to the server what happens when I travel. Do I have to manually go into the laptop network adaptor settings and change things back to the “Obtain DNS automatically” each time?
There has got to be a better way. Anybody have any ideas.
John

When Windows client computers are not joined to a domain they use the local SAM database to authenticate to the client computer. When the computer is domain joined you are using an AD user account to log into the computer. These accounts are going to have different SIDs as well as local profiles on the system. If you log into the computer with an account that has local admin access, you can simply move or copy the data from the local user account folder into the domain account user folder. The user folders inherit permissions from the root C:\Users\<username> so they should automatically gain access to the newly copied data.

Thanks so much Neemobeer, you are the first person to reply with some real help.
I'm a bit of a newbie so excuse the dumb questions.

Do I understand then that if I have the W10 clients setup to force the W10 clients to lookup the local DNS on the WSE-2016 and if I then take a laptop on the road (where that forced DNS. or my home router DNS) is no longer available that Windows 10 will somehow skip the above forced DNS and actually get another from the new (hotel etc), server.

Second question. Since my Windows 10 clients all have administrator accounts, if I just move the WORKGROUP desktop folder across to the DOMAIN desktop folder would everything be OK. i.e. would the clients behave just as if nothing happened.

The DNS servers a client will use are generally supplied by DHCP, so if your server is hosting DHCP it will, as part of the info given to the client give them the DNS server(s) to use. If you go to a hotel or coffee shop their routers will handle DHCP and tell the client which DNS server(s) to use.

Yes you can simply copy the data from the local account user to the domain user folder and it will inherit access. You will need to that with an account that has local administrator access.

What I don't quite understand Neemobeer is if the Windows 10 NIC card configuration is set to a fixed DNS address (and not the get the address automatically) how does it work in an outside the network situations.

Does the router/windows 10 client just ignore these things if it cannot find a DNS server and go straight to the router for one overlooking the NIC card configuration?

This is very important for me to know because I travel a lot and will find myself in all kinds of environments with these laptops.

Thanks for clarifying the second question as well. Will give it a try.

John

If you have them set statically, then DNS resolution will not work when you connect to any other network but your own. It will not automatically look to the router for this info. I'd recommend adding the DNS server(s) to your DHCP and setting DNS servers to "Obtain DNS server address automatically". Otherwise if you leave your network you will need to set this every time.

last question, even if I use the google 8.8.8.8 on the clients as the secondary DNS

Depends how the network you are connected to is managed. Some places may block users from query up-stream dns servers to control data flow. In other words they may require you query their DNS servers and only their dns servers are allowed to query dns outside of the network. If they don't control dns that tightly then using Googles public dns server should work.