Question

Changing IP address via registry change?

Asked by: tombo

We have a remote (all svrs/wkstns apart from PDC offsite) network of 150 NT4 machines which is managed by Tivoli's Netfinity. We have been told by higher forces that all our IP addresses need to be changed. We of course can do this manually with Netfinity if i have nothing better to do for this month.
But I would like to do this by changing the IP address value in the registry for the NIC key under the 'ControlSet001' branch of 'LocalMachine' via the logon script.
This works very nicely for actually changing the address, BUT the process seems to put the 'Clone' branch of this hive in error (that is the message the registry gives when trying to view it after the change to 'ControlSet001').
To bring it out of error you need to make an address change under 'Network' in 'Control Panel'.
I understand that the 'clone' is an image of a clean start by 'ControlSet001 and is then used for 'Last known good'.

Can this change be made safely by this method, and what is the consequence of the 'Clone' key being left in error?

Is there a better/other automatic way to perform this that someone would suggest?

regards
Tom.

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Asked On
1998-08-03 at 14:29:58ID10069165
Tags

ip

,

change

,

registry

,

address

Topic

Windows NT Networking

Participating Experts
2
Points
70
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: bbaoPosted on 1998-08-03 at 18:41:14ID: 1569782

I think you should change the hive key under CurrentControlSet. As for automatically change the registry, hmm, I haven't tried such a procedure, but I think it should work. That is, use Regsitry editor use to import registry from a text file, which you have already specify proper IP settings in this file. Also, the command line based Regedit.exe parameters may help you do it within a batch file. In addition, use a little program to automatically generate the text based registry file by only changing IP settings sequently.

Hope this helps,

 

by: tomboPosted on 1998-08-06 at 14:13:01ID: 1569783

Thanks - but I think the question got lost amongst the words,

I intend to use scripts (with regedit) to change the registry IPAddress value for the NIC (if I'm happy it is stable) via the users logon script. My two questions concerned the following:

1) Is it stable changing the registry this way, given that the 'clone' key gives an error message when I do it ?(the address change does work) - 'clone' key is used for 'Last Known Good'.

2) Are there any OTHER ways apart from what I'm doing (changing registry values with regedit) to achieve this?

 

by: KitsunePosted on 1998-08-06 at 15:21:29ID: 1569784

Yes, it is stable making these changes. Last Known Good is only going to be used for error recovery and after you have successfully booted NT this is updated.

As far as other methods, you can't change this field unless through Control Panel ==> Network or by using REGEDT32. Just incase you weren't aware, you don't need to replace the entire registry but rather can have REGEDT32 import registry keys which have been previously exported. These are small, text based files with .reg extensions. You can use a batch file to import a given registry key (out of a whole range of keys) based on the unique MAC address of the NIC although we are now getting into the field of automation which is not really what you are asking about.

 

by: tomboPosted on 1998-08-06 at 15:38:51ID: 1569785

Hi kitsume

Thanks - I needed assurance that making the 'clone' hive report an error when changing the IPAddress (only) within the CurrentControlset001 hive wasn't going to cause (big) problems downstream i.e. having to need to use 'Last Known Good' but finding it is corrupt due to error problem with 'clone'

Tom.

 

by: tomboPosted on 1998-08-09 at 14:40:20ID: 1569786

Hi,

No one has yet mentioned the consequences of the 'Clone' hive being left in this reported error state. I do not want to leave the whole network in the worst case scenario of having no "Last Known Good" available!

Anyone out there help?

cheers
Tom.

 

by: KitsunePosted on 1998-08-09 at 15:57:43ID: 1569787

Tom,
You are mailing to a locked question. If you want people to see your postings it must be an open (ie unanswered) question. Your Last Known Good is a local thing so your network should not be at risk. If you are doing cloning to hundreds of machines the way I do, then I strongly suggest that you cut a CD of the master image or have it backed up on DAT tape or some other media. After cloning a machine and then restarting successfully into NT4 are you still getting an error concerning Last Known Good? I hope not because Last Known Good should be updated after a successful boot.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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