How to Create a New Domain Name on a Computer without Joining any Domain

Hello Everyone - I would like to be able to assign a domain name to my computer (Laptop) and not have that laptop to be on that particular domain for the domain name to stick in the laptop. I was able to create a domain name on my laptop before upgrading to Windows 7. I used Windows XP Pro and I could do this. Now on Windows 7 it tries to find the domain on the network and if none is present it rejects the ability to hold the domain name on my computer. Can someone help? Thank you.

I don't believe that what you are proposing to do will work. I'm not sure how you were able to do this in Windows XP, I fired up my old XP machine just to see if there was something I was forgetting regarding the process and the behavior of the XP machine is exactly the same as the Windows 7 machine.
In order to participate within a domain structure your machine has to point at the machine that is capable of resolving DNS queries for that domain or at the very least a DNS server that is able to forward DNS queries reqarding that domain to the machine that can resolve them.
The process is done within the Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings in Windows 7, or under the "Computer Name" tab of the computer properties in Windows XP, in either case, it's done within the "Member Of" context, which suggests participating as a member machine in the sense of the Fully Qualified Domain Name convention as in ClientMachineName.DomainName.TopLevelDomain (DNS root) and as a requirement there needs to be a DNS server somewhere with the necessary Service Records and Host Records that provide resolution for that information. And in many cases, like Microsoft Active Directory Domains, additional authentication is required so the DNS server has to have the Host records for the Domain Controller responsible for maintaining a list of domain members.
I'm trying to understand the need, benefit or purpose of having a fully qualified domain host name associated with your computer but not wanting the computer to join, or participate as a member.

To use a domain name you have to be connecting to a domain server (eg Windows Server 2008), which is in charge of almost all aspects of file and network access. Windows will reject that if it can't find the server.

Now if you are talking about a Workgroup name (peer networking, "Work Network" in win7) that's a different matter.
There you can join any workgroup or even create your own.

So you are basically saying that Win7 does not allow for domain name creation Like Win XP did without being hooked up to a Network where the OS can recognize the domain. I have a program that need it needs to see at least the domain name set in the OS to execute. If it does not see the proper domain name on the local computer it will not run. It does not have to be connected to the actual listed domain and in this circumstance is preferable that it is not. DAVID

David:
Welcome to the Windows 7 Forums.
At least now I understand the need to attempt to resolve this issue. If you can be more specific as to the exact program, perhaps there is a member who has information that can help, regarding a work around for the issue.
Is it possible that using only the netbios portion of the domain name as your workgroup name might help, in other words if the domain name is mydomain.com then perhaps setting your workgroup name to MYDOMAIN may suffice.
Are there any specific connection properties for this program, wherein you may be able to set a specific target for the connection?

Originally Posted by Trouble

I fired up my old XP machine just to see if there was something I was forgetting regarding the process and the behavior of the XP machine is exactly the same as the Windows 7 machine.

Originally Posted by dneuman1

So you are basically saying that Win7 does not allow for domain name creation Like Win XP did

I dunno....just an observation...