Calling computer people

[DangBruhY]

I'm trying to figure out if there is a way that I can change a computer name while using some sort of script... through the network. (WITHOUT actually logging in to each computer and changing it through the computer's properties) These computers would all be running Vista.

I was hoping that I could find something that would...

* I would run program as admin

* Type in old computer name

* It would connect to the computer

* Ask for new computer name

* Perform script to change the name and possibly tell anyone logged in to please reboot.

I found something a while back about changing it in the registry, but it didn't work, even after rebooting. I don't know if the directions had me changing it in the wrong part of the registry or what.

Maybe I don't need a script... Maybe there is a way to do it that is easier.

Anyone?

[jblosser]

netdom.exe

click here for instructables

[Likwid]

NETDOM RENAMECOMPUTER machine /NewName:new-name

/UserD:user [/PasswordD:[password | *]]

[/userO:user [/PasswordO:[password | *]]]

[/Force]

[/REBoot]

[Cheech]

I'm trying to figure out if there is a way that I can change a computer name while using some sort of script... through the network. (WITHOUT actually logging in to each computer and changing it through the computer's properties) These computers would all be running Vista.

I was hoping that I could find something that would...

* I would run program as admin

* Type in old computer name

* It would connect to the computer

* Ask for new computer name

* Perform script to change the name and possibly tell anyone logged in to please reboot.

I found something a while back about changing it in the registry, but it didn't work, even after rebooting. I don't know if the directions had me changing it in the wrong part of the registry or what.

Maybe I don't need a script... Maybe there is a way to do it that is easier.

Anyone?

Need to know a few things first:

Are the PC's on a domain?

What kind of domain controller are you using, 2003 or 2008?

If they are on a domain, the only method the PC has to do login authentication and to communicate with the domain controller is by use of the domain computer account, which is keyed to the computer name itself and has a password system all it's own.

After some quick googling, you can give this a try in a lab environment: http://www.computerbusiness.com/kb/2008100801.htm The easiest way to do this is to fire off a windows script using group policy, and that's where the domain controller versions come in. I know Vista plays better with server 08, but I think it will still work with server 03.

Hope that helps.

[jblosser]

Need to know a few things first:

Are the PC's on a domain?

What kind of domain controller are you using, 2003 or 2008?

If they are on a domain, the only method the PC has to do login authentication and to communicate with the domain controller is by use of the domain computer account, which is keyed to the computer name itself and has a password system all it's own.

After some quick googling, you can give this a try in a lab environment: http://www.computerbusiness.com/kb/2008100801.htm The easiest way to do this is to fire off a windows script using group policy, and that's where the domain controller versions come in. I know Vista plays better with server 08, but I think it will still work with server 03.

Hope that helps.

That's why you use netDOM - it's specifically for machines that are joined to a domain. You need to use an account (the "userd") that has rights to the machine's computer object in the domain - it will be changing it in AD as well as on the local machine.

As Cheech said, test first, then deploy.

[InyaAzz]

Do a remote install of Linux. Reboot. Problem solved.

You know that was coming.

[DangBruhY]

I don't have access to any servers. Maybe what I'm trying to do can't be done. I know I can log into Windows and navigate my way to change the computer name. I'm assuming that there is a command that can do that. Maybe Windows has blocked it, because of security reasons... I don't know.

[jblosser]

Do a remote install of Linux. Reboot. Problem solved.

You know that was coming.

Pretty simple to get to Windoze shares from the penguin. Netware shares, too.

Quiz: how would you go about changing the Linux machine's name?

[InyaAzz]

Pretty simple to get to Windoze shares from the penguin. Netware shares, too.

Quiz: how would you go about changing the Linux machine's name?

My solution was to remove windows from the network. Maybe my attempt at humor was lost.

[DangBruhY]

Yeah, there are only a few Linux machines on this network. Most of them are Winblows.

hostname NewHostnameHere

[jblosser]

I don't have access to any servers. Maybe what I'm trying to do can't be done. I know I can log into Windows and navigate my way to change the computer name. I'm assuming that there is a command that can do that. Maybe Windows has blocked it, because of security reasons... I don't know.

By "access", do you mean you don't have a domain admin or equivalent account? You don't need to have physical access to the server - if that's what you meant.

If you want to get to console of the remote machine you can use RDP to do it by typing "mstsc /v:computer", where computer = the name of the machine whose console you want to get to. You'll need to know a user/pass from that local machine that has admin rights.

IF RDP isn't enabled on that machine BUT you know an admin user/pass, you can connect to the target's registry and enable remote access. Start regedit on your machine, click File, Connect Network Registry, put the target's name in. The key you'll be looking for is:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server

Change fDenyTSConnections from 1 to 0

[jblosser]

My solution was to remove windows from the network. Maybe my attempt at humor was lost.

Humor not lost on me.

Pointing out (and agreeing) that whatever you need to do on Windows you can do on the penguin. Except Photoshop. I know that all you Linux-phobes/haters.

[Aerik]

Do a remote install of Linux. Reboot. Problem solved.

You know that was coming.

You beat me to it. Linux nerdiness FTW!

EDIT: Boobies removed because Keyboard Cat bans boobies.

Edited January 15, 2010 by Aerik

[InyaAzz]

Humor not lost on me.

Pointing out (and agreeing) that whatever you need to do on Windows you can do on the penguin. Except Photoshop. I know that all you Linux-phobes/haters.

Got it

[InyaAzz]

You beat me to it. Linux nerdiness FTW!

I'd hit it.

[Likwid]

nws much?

[DangBruhY]

By "access", do you mean you don't have a domain admin or equivalent account? You don't need to have physical access to the server - if that's what you meant.

If you want to get to console of the remote machine you can use RDP to do it by typing "mstsc /v:computer", where computer = the name of the machine whose console you want to get to. You'll need to know a user/pass from that local machine that has admin rights.

IF RDP isn't enabled on that machine BUT you know an admin user/pass, you can connect to the target's registry and enable remote access. Start regedit on your machine, click File, Connect Network Registry, put the target's name in. The key you'll be looking for is:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server

Change fDenyTSConnections from 1 to 0

I can log in remotely and change them. Problem is that I was trying to find a more streamlined way of doing it, since I have a BUNCH of computers to do and the users will probably be logged into the computer when I'm wanting to do this.

[Tonik]

I can log in remotely and change them. Problem is that I was trying to find a more streamlined way of doing it, since I have a BUNCH of computers to do and the users will probably be logged into the computer when I'm wanting to do this.

The netdom answer is the correct answer. You can leave off the forced reboot if you want. It just won't be an official name change until they are rebooted. And they will have to be on when you execute the command of course of course for this to work. You just need to supply the username/password of an account with the proper privs to rename an account in the domain. A local admin account will be enough, you don't need domain admin for that.

[Likwid]

Just create a bat file that does the netdom as many times as you need

Don't reinvent the wheel here

[Tonik]

Just create a bat file that does the netdom as many times as you need

Don't reinvent the wheel here

for /f %a in (computername.txt) do NETDOM RENAMECOMPUTER %a /NewName:new-name

That should be pretty close

[DangBruhY]

Nevermind... I'm just doing it the long way... (Logging into each computer and doing it manually)

[InyaAzz]

Are you fluent in scripting? Perl, Rexx, something? You'll need to use that plus the utilities mentioned above.

[DangBruhY]

What I've done in the past is just do a lot of research on what I'm looking for. Find the code and customize it to what I want it to specifically do. I've taken a couple of classes in VB, but it's been a while. The problem here is that I couldn't find anything on how to do it. I spent day looking for a way. Oh well, it's done now.

Thanks everyone!

[InyaAzz]

In your spare time I would just start looking into Perl or Rexx ..or something similar. It's not hard..you sound like a go-getter anyways. Once you learn how to script, you'll kick yourself for not learning it sooner.

[Cheech]

You don't need to learn Perl or Rexx for Windows scripting, just VBA. Agreed though, once you have it down you'll find that scripting + good group policies make your job much, much easier.