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timnew/Rename.ps1

Last active March 22, 2025 07:46
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Script to Rename Computer without Reboot
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Rename.ps1
$ComputerName = "New Name"
Remove-ItemProperty -path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters" -name "Hostname"
Remove-ItemProperty -path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters" -name "NV Hostname"
Set-ItemProperty -path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Computername\Computername" -name "Computername" -value $ComputerName
Set-ItemProperty -path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Computername\ActiveComputername" -name "Computername" -value $ComputerName
Set-ItemProperty -path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters" -name "Hostname" -value $ComputerName
Set-ItemProperty -path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters" -name "NV Hostname" -value $ComputerName
Set-ItemProperty -path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" -name "AltDefaultDomainName" -value $ComputerName
Set-ItemProperty -path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" -name "DefaultDomainName" -value $ComputerName
@ricoroodenburg
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So I found this script and thought it would be awesome. The script does rename the computer and it looks good from that end, but in AD, the name does not update. This causes issue with SCCM and other management tools. I ended up renaming them the old fashioned way but with Powershell that prompts me for my AD PW.

That makes sense; you can't just change a name in Active Directory without authentication. That system is completely separate from the local machine.

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