Cannot change Computer Name

[bigt]

I have XP Pro (SP2) installed. I wish to change the Computer Name.
However, going into Control Panel, System, Computer Name, Change
Computer Name and restarting, the Computer Name is not updated but
remains the same in the System panel. My machine is set up as part of
a Workgroup. Does anyone know what would prevent this update?

What is interesting is, if I go into My Network Places and View
Workgroup Computers my machine is shown with the updated name.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Chuck]

I have XP Pro (SP2) installed. I wish to change the Computer Name.
However, going into Control Panel, System, Computer Name, Change
Computer Name and restarting, the Computer Name is not updated but
remains the same in the System panel. My machine is set up as part of
a Workgroup. Does anyone know what would prevent this update?

What is interesting is, if I go into My Network Places and View
Workgroup Computers my machine is shown with the updated name.

Any help would be appreciated.

Did you change the actual computer name ("Computer Name" tab, then the "Change"
button, "Computer name" field), or did you change the computer description
("Computer Name" tab, "Computer description" field)? Windows XP uses both
"Computer name" and "Computer description" unpredictably. Some displays may
list Windows XP computers as "Computer description" ("Computer name"), which
creates a confusing mess when the Windows XP computers are on a LAN with Windows
2000, NT, and 9x computers.

 

[bigt]

I have XP Pro (SP2) installed. I wish to change the Computer Name.
However, going into Control Panel, System, Computer Name, Change
Computer Name and restarting, the Computer Name is not updated but
remains the same in the System panel. My machine is set up as part of
a Workgroup. Does anyone know what would prevent this update?

What is interesting is, if I go into My Network Places and View
Workgroup Computers my machine is shown with the updated name.

Any help would be appreciated.

Did you change the actual computer name ("Computer Name" tab, then the "Change"
button, "Computer name" field), or did you change the computer description
("Computer Name" tab, "Computer description" field)? Windows XP uses both
"Computer name" and "Computer description" unpredictably. Some displays may
list Windows XP computers as "Computer description" ("Computer name"), which
creates a confusing mess when the Windows XP computers are on a LAN with Windows
2000, NT, and 9x computers.

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

Chuck,
I did the former. i.e. Computer Name tab, Change Button, Computer Name
field. The other
pcs on the network are running Windows XP Home. On the machine which
will not change
the Computer Name after restarting I am running Norton Internet
Security. Do not know if
that prevents the computer name being changed.

 

[Malke]

Chuck,
I did the former. i.e. Computer Name tab, Change Button, Computer Name
field. The other
pcs on the network are running Windows XP Home. On the machine which
will not change
the Computer Name after restarting I am running Norton Internet
Security. Do not know if
that prevents the computer name being changed.

There probably is a function in NIS that prevents registry changes. You
can check with Symantec tech support if you can't find it yourself. If
not, then you have another security program installed that does. You'll
need to look because in normal XP operations with no third-party
interference you can change the computer name exactly as you did with no
problem.


Malke

 

[bigt]

There probably is a function in NIS that prevents registry changes. You
can check with Symantec tech support if you can't find it yourself. If
not, then you have another security program installed that does. You'll
need to look because in normal XP operations with no third-party
interference you can change the computer name exactly as you did with no
problem.

Malke

I checked NIS but could find no option that prevents the registry
being updated.
I emailed Symantec tech support who confirmed that NIS does not
prevent
registry updates. I cannot think of anything else I have installed
that would
interfer with this. I will keep chipping my way at it. It is not too
desparate.
The only thing that appears to be a problem is getting on to the
network.
It seems that the computer name change half worked so that in some
places
it recognises the changed name, in others the orginal name. What I
cannot do
is go back to the original name as, System (in control panel), won't
do anything
if I retype the orginal name as it recognises no change has been made
so not
perform any updates to the bits it changed before.

Thanks for your help anyway.

 

[Malke]

I checked NIS but could find no option that prevents the registry
being updated.
I emailed Symantec tech support who confirmed that NIS does not
prevent
registry updates. I cannot think of anything else I have installed
that would
interfer with this. I will keep chipping my way at it. It is not too
desparate.
The only thing that appears to be a problem is getting on to the
network.
It seems that the computer name change half worked so that in some
places
it recognises the changed name, in others the orginal name. What I
cannot do
is go back to the original name as, System (in control panel), won't
do anything
if I retype the orginal name as it recognises no change has been made
so not
perform any updates to the bits it changed before.

Thanks for your help anyway.

Ad-aware? Spybot Search & Destroy? Third-party firewall? Any other
anti-spyware programs?

Malke

 

[Chuck]

I checked NIS but could find no option that prevents the registry
being updated.
I emailed Symantec tech support who confirmed that NIS does not
prevent
registry updates. I cannot think of anything else I have installed
that would
interfer with this. I will keep chipping my way at it. It is not too
desparate.
The only thing that appears to be a problem is getting on to the
network.
It seems that the computer name change half worked so that in some
places
it recognises the changed name, in others the orginal name. What I
cannot do
is go back to the original name as, System (in control panel), won't
do anything
if I retype the orginal name as it recognises no change has been made
so not
perform any updates to the bits it changed before.

Thanks for your help anyway.

Get RegMon from SysInternals (Microsoft). See if there's a background process
that's reversing the change.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/essential-tools-for-desktop-and.html#Regmon>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/essential-tools-for-desktop-and.html#Regmon