Can I rename computers through AD?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jim H
  • Start date Start date
J

Jim H

We have to rename all the computers on our network to comply with new
company standards. Can I change the computer names through Active Directory
or do I have to physically go to each machine and change the names?

We are using Windows 2003 server as domain controller.

Thanks,
jim
 
We have to rename all the computers on our network to comply with new
company standards. Can I change the computer names through Active Directory
or do I have to physically go to each machine and change the names?

We are using Windows 2003 server as domain controller.

Thanks,
jim
Click to expand...
Hi Jim,
You cannot rename computers from the AD consoles. What OSs do your
clients run? For WinXP you can use NETDOM which you can script to
iterate through a text file with the old name,new name of the machine:

HOW TO: Use the Netdom.exe Utility to Rename a Computer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;298593&sd=tech

If you have Win2K, however, you cannot use netdom. Take a look at this
script that popped up in my Google search:
http://www.enterpriseitplanet.com/resources/scripts_win/article.php/3082
361

I haven't tested this so be sure to extensively test it should you
decide to use it.

HTH
--
Cheers,
Marin Marinov
MCT, MCSE 2003/2000/NT4.0,
MCSE:Security 2003/2000, MCP+I
-
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
 
Hi Jim,

You cant rename the computer accounts using AD. Even if you rename the
computer accounts through AD, it wont change the actual machine name. Those
changes has to be done on individual machine.

Thanks,

(e-mail address removed)

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
Use netdom.exe to rename the computers in an automated way.

Regards,
/Jimmy
 
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