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Renaming a Domain Controller? 1

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pkirill

Technical User
Jun 15, 2002
134
US
Are there any problems with renaming a Windows 2003 R2 domain controller? I know that MSDE/SQL will have a fit. The issue I have is that we are replacing two existing servers with two new servers. We have some clunky client software that requires UNC pathing to various network shares on a server we'll call "old server". What I want to do is migrate everything from "old server" to "new server", decommission "old server", then rename "new server" to "old server". (then install MSDE) "New server" will be a DC and probably the "PDC", so to speak.

Is it going to be as simple as changing the computer name? Or will there be some behind the scenes "gotchas" that are going to kill me?

Thanks in advance!
 
Wow, thanks! It seems that it *could* be as easy as renaming it thru the GUI, but that's not necessarily the *best* way.

So if I'm reading the first article correctly, the first step is adding a "second" name, then making the second name the "primary" name, then removing the original name... that sound right?

Step 3 says to "ensure the computer account updates and DNS registrations are completed" - do I check this in Users and Computers and NSLOOKUP?

thanks again for the assist - I really appreciate it!
 
Sounds right. you could use nslookup to make sure it resolves correctly, could go into the DNS mmc snapin and visually check it as well.

RoadKi11
 
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