Question

changing computer name

Asked by: YZlat

What's the best way to change a computer anme under a domain, using VBScript?

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Asked On
2009-10-26 at 08:57:40ID24844000
Topic

VB Script

Participating Experts
1
Points
250
Comments
10

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Answers

 

by: JeffPartonPosted on 2009-10-26 at 09:57:09ID: 25664270

This can be very tricky.  You can try the below but must be ran on the local machine.  I have not tested this...  Trying to run on a remote machine would run into many problems.

This should rename the computer and its Active Directory computer account.  Won't work on anything under XP

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
    & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
 
Set colComputers = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * from Win32_ComputerSystem")
 
For Each objComputer in colComputers
    err = objComputer.Rename("NewComputerName")
Next
	

                                              
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by: YZlatPosted on 2009-10-26 at 10:48:42ID: 25664791

will that remove computer from the domain or damage the structure somehow?

 

by: YZlatPosted on 2009-10-26 at 10:49:31ID: 25664801

I already saw this solution online but was afraid to use it because I don't know whether it could remove computer from the domain or damage anything in the structure

 

by: JeffPartonPosted on 2009-10-26 at 11:10:01ID: 25664995

From what i understand, renaming the computer and renaming the AD account to match would not mess up the structure.  The computername would just connect to the renamed computer account in AD.  This is not the same as deleting/re-adding a computer.

Do you have a computer to try it on as a test?  I have never used this process.  I have renamed AD accounts and renamed computers to match manually but never with a script.

 

by: YZlatPosted on 2009-10-26 at 11:15:25ID: 25665052

in addition to your code, do I need to modify any registry entries?

 

by: JeffPartonPosted on 2009-10-26 at 11:18:32ID: 25665083

I never have had to.

 

by: YZlatPosted on 2009-10-26 at 11:29:58ID: 25665217

do you mean registry entries get changed automatically?

 

by: JeffPartonPosted on 2009-10-26 at 11:35:31ID: 25665281

Once you run the script and reboot, then it should have taken effect.  Again, I have never used the script, only manually.  I never had to make changes when I do it manually, so I am assuming that you won't have to after script is successful and reboot happens.

if I am not mistaken, the .rename function will do (or initiate) the changes needed for the function to successfully execute.

 

by: YZlatPosted on 2009-10-27 at 08:47:32ID: 25673762

I will try it. Thanks

 

by: YZlatPosted on 2009-10-28 at 11:26:37ID: 31645951

You forgot to add the code for the reboot, so that name change would be complete. Withput reboot the name change is incomplete.  But otherwise the solution was good

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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