Changing Machine names

Steven0123 · 14 Sep 2006 at 14:01

Does anyone know if it is possible to change a hostname on a Pc/Laptop via a registry edit or would this be best done via the System Properties menus..

Reason being that I need to change names on all laptops on our network... Approx 200+ :rolleyes:

Any help would be greatly appreciated..

Andyt_uk · 14 Sep 2006 at 14:39

hmm. I think i looked at a script to do this a couple years ago when I was working in a school. Best bets to try google for "machine name change script"

Steven0123 · 14 Sep 2006 at 15:10

have had a quick poke around google and MS technet.. not found anything of any help.. still trawling thru tho..

Uhtred · 14 Sep 2006 at 15:37

i can't find my machine name in my reg :/

Andyt_uk · 14 Sep 2006 at 15:48

it was a script or possibly a program "AD tools" possibly that i looked at using before. It just read from AD the existing machine names and gave you the option to change them. Dont know how reliable it would be at doing it, as usually you need to remove them from the domain, change name and re-add them.

The_KiD · 14 Sep 2006 at 15:52

There used to be a program called "baptize" that could do it through batch scripts.

Check here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=31939

Curiosityx · 14 Sep 2006 at 16:49

You may well be able to do it using GPO's to specifiy registry settings but not for 200 individual Pc's. Also a script would need to register the new name within active directory if were talking about a domain environment.

A[L]C · 14 Sep 2006 at 16:51

Curiosityx said:
You may well be able to do it using GPO's to specifiy registry settings but not for 200 individual Pc's. Also a script would need to register the new name within active directory if were talking about a domain environment.

it is a domain environment... would baptise not be ok then?

sorry - im his colleague

Curiosityx · 14 Sep 2006 at 17:04

Cant say ive ever used it tbh, having a quick look at it theres a good chance, but you need to figure out whether or not it can be scripting to give each machine a unique name. Also does the program register the new computer name in active directory?

I would recommend some testing on a single machine or a group issolated from your ad environment but part of the domain.