Computer Name

G

Guest

Hi,

I'm using XPe with Remote Boot Manager for a diskless system. DHCP & DNS are
used on the server side, and IP addresses are not hardcoded in DHCP server.
System Cloning generates a random name for XPe at boot time, however, I'd
like to specify the computer name according to each NIC's MAC address instead
of random name.

I made a batch file to modify the registery for computer name and restart
DHCP client & DNS client. After running the batch file, if I run "hostname",
it shows the modified computer name, if I run "ping xxxx(NewHostName)", it
also works. But if I try to map driver as "\\xxxx(NewHostName)", it doesn't
work and shows error message "a duplicate name exists". And I'm still able to
map driver with old hostname, like "\\xxxx(OldHostName)". I update the
following registery:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName]
"ComputerName"=NewHostName

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ActiveComputerName]
"ComputerName"=NewHostName

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog]
"ComputerName"=NewHostName

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters]
"Hostname"=NewHostName
"NV Hostname"=NewHostName

Thanks.

Bin
 
K

KM

Bin,

Since you are talking about RAM (Remote Boot) image, I believe you are trying to change the hostname/computername without a reboot.
Right?

Unfortunately, it is not going to work with such easy approach.
IIRC, kernel has to read the hostname early at boot. If you change the hostname later, you must restart the machine.
At least this is true for the ComputerName.


I don't know any easy good way for you to accomplish what you want to.
 
G

Guest

Hi KM,

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I'm talking about the RAM disk with Remote
Boot Manager, and I'd like to change the computer name without a reboot.

Since System Cloning assigns a random computer name and our applications are
based on computer name, I have to specify computer name for each cloned XPe.
We've already used the same way to set computer name on Windows NT Embedded
(no cloning, just a same image for different computers), and it worked fine
on NT embedded. Now, we're going to use XPe for new projects.

It seems there is no way to set computer name in XPe, that's fair because
XPe doesn't know how many computers will use the same image. But I guess XPe
should give chance to user to specify their own computer names with, for
example, Remote Boot Manager or a batch file.

Bin

KM said:
Bin,

Since you are talking about RAM (Remote Boot) image, I believe you are trying to change the hostname/computername without a reboot.
Right?

Unfortunately, it is not going to work with such easy approach.
IIRC, kernel has to read the hostname early at boot. If you change the hostname later, you must restart the machine.
At least this is true for the ComputerName.


I don't know any easy good way for you to accomplish what you want to.

--
Regards,
KM, BSquare Corp.

Hi,

I'm using XPe with Remote Boot Manager for a diskless system. DHCP & DNS are
used on the server side, and IP addresses are not hardcoded in DHCP server.
System Cloning generates a random name for XPe at boot time, however, I'd
like to specify the computer name according to each NIC's MAC address instead
of random name.

I made a batch file to modify the registery for computer name and restart
DHCP client & DNS client. After running the batch file, if I run "hostname",
it shows the modified computer name, if I run "ping xxxx(NewHostName)", it
also works. But if I try to map driver as "\\xxxx(NewHostName)", it doesn't
work and shows error message "a duplicate name exists". And I'm still able to
map driver with old hostname, like "\\xxxx(OldHostName)". I update the
following registery:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName]
"ComputerName"=NewHostName

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ActiveComputerName]
"ComputerName"=NewHostName

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog]
"ComputerName"=NewHostName

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters]
"Hostname"=NewHostName
"NV Hostname"=NewHostName

Thanks.

Bin
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
K

KM

Bin,

You could write a driver that is loaded at an early stage (before the network stack drivers) that will change the registry you were
referring to.

E.g., you can develop a custom disk or fs filter driver that will read the name off a place on the disk (or a raw space/partition on
the disk) and populate it in the registry.
I've seen similar implementations.

--
Regards,
KM, BSquare Corp.

Hi KM,

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I'm talking about the RAM disk with Remote
Boot Manager, and I'd like to change the computer name without a reboot.

Since System Cloning assigns a random computer name and our applications are
based on computer name, I have to specify computer name for each cloned XPe.
We've already used the same way to set computer name on Windows NT Embedded
(no cloning, just a same image for different computers), and it worked fine
on NT embedded. Now, we're going to use XPe for new projects.

It seems there is no way to set computer name in XPe, that's fair because
XPe doesn't know how many computers will use the same image. But I guess XPe
should give chance to user to specify their own computer names with, for
example, Remote Boot Manager or a batch file.

Bin

KM said:
Bin,

Since you are talking about RAM (Remote Boot) image, I believe you are trying to change the hostname/computername without a reboot.
Right?

Unfortunately, it is not going to work with such easy approach.
IIRC, kernel has to read the hostname early at boot. If you change the hostname later, you must restart the machine.
At least this is true for the ComputerName.


I don't know any easy good way for you to accomplish what you want to.

--
Regards,
KM, BSquare Corp.

Hi,

I'm using XPe with Remote Boot Manager for a diskless system. DHCP & DNS are
used on the server side, and IP addresses are not hardcoded in DHCP server.
System Cloning generates a random name for XPe at boot time, however, I'd
like to specify the computer name according to each NIC's MAC address instead
of random name.

I made a batch file to modify the registery for computer name and restart
DHCP client & DNS client. After running the batch file, if I run "hostname",
it shows the modified computer name, if I run "ping xxxx(NewHostName)", it
also works. But if I try to map driver as "\\xxxx(NewHostName)", it doesn't
work and shows error message "a duplicate name exists". And I'm still able to
map driver with old hostname, like "\\xxxx(OldHostName)". I update the
following registery:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName]
"ComputerName"=NewHostName

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ActiveComputerName]
"ComputerName"=NewHostName

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog]
"ComputerName"=NewHostName

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters]
"Hostname"=NewHostName
"NV Hostname"=NewHostName

Thanks.

Bin
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Y

y.qualystem

You can also use Qualystem™ LAN-PC software:
It is a remote boot software suite for Windows 2K/XP/XPe
clients. Said clients can be run diskless, of course, and they can also
be run all off the same "HD-image" at the same time (shared image).
The HD images can be mounted by the client in
"volatile" mode (writes are lost after a reboot) or in
"persistent" mode (writes are NOT lost after a reboot).

Qualystem™ LAN-PC does not use RAM disk and then you
need less RAM in your clients, and less bandwidth to boot
(instead of transferring the whole footprint to the
RAMDisk, you just transfer the needed data).
It uses it's own "NetDisk".

With Qualystem™ LAN-PC, the actual clients host names are
either constructed from each client MAC address, either
from the DHCP tag #12 (CHN = client host name. In that
case, DHCP reservations are required so that an actual
host name can be assigned to a client MAC address)

More details on Qualystem™ Web Site:

http://www.qualystem.com/en/lannetpc.html

Furthermore, with Qualystem™ UbiBoot, one can build
a single HD image that can boot different motherboards
at the same time... Imagine: You can build a single
Windows XPe installation and have it being able to run on
devices that use different motherboards, present or
future...


Hope this helps


 
Y

y.qualystem

You can also use Qualystem™ LAN-PC software:
It is a remote boot software suite for Windows 2K/XP/XPe
clients. Said clients can be run diskless, of course, and they can also
be run all off the same "HD-image" at the same time (shared image).
The HD images can be mounted by the client in
"volatile" mode (writes are lost after a reboot) or in
"persistent" mode (writes are NOT lost after a reboot).

Qualystem™ LAN-PC does not use RAM disk and then you
need less RAM in your clients, and less bandwidth to boot
(instead of transferring the whole footprint to the
RAMDisk, you just transfer the needed data).
It uses it's own "NetDisk".

With Qualystem™ LAN-PC, the actual clients host names are
either constructed from each client MAC address, either
from the DHCP tag #12 (CHN = client host name. In that
case, DHCP reservations are required so that an actual
host name can be assigned to a client MAC address)

More details on Qualystem™ Web Site:

http://www.qualystem.com/en/lannetpc.html

Furthermore, with Qualystem™ UbiBoot, one can build
a single HD image that can boot different motherboards
at the same time... Imagine: You can build a single
Windows XPe installation and have it being able to run on
devices that use different motherboards, present or
future...


Hope this helps


 
L

Lasse

Hi
I have a system with a device driver that is loaded before the network stack as KM suggests.
It reads jumpers on the parallel port connector. (unique for each computer).
Then it patches Registry IpAddress and ComputerName according to read value.
IpAddress setting is static.
The driver is very simple (no Plug and Play junk).
It just reads a byte from hardcoded address 0x378+1 = Parallel port status register.
This has 5 input lines. (32 combinations).
Everything works fine.
Lasse
 

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