Using an existing Computer Name

[ekinike]

In the past I've come across situations where it was necessary to physically replace a web or database server. I have almost always come across issues when attempting to give the replacement machine the same computer name, and have ended up renaming the new machine instead. This in turn requires changes to coding, etc.

Is there any right or wrong way to go about re-using an existing computer name to avoid any issues? I have a Windows 2000 domain.

 

[danbiggs]

I believe the offical Microsoft way is to take a system state backup of the machine, then restore that backup over a vanilla install of windows on the target machine. The new machine picks up the computer name from the backup (and everything else non-hardware related). I've used this method several times with no problem.

 

[ekinike]

What if there is no backup?

 

[sab4you]

once you take the old computer offline, you should probably also remove it from active directory.

other than that, when you bring the new computer up and add it to the domain, it should work just fine.

 

[ekinike]

So if I have machine1 and it for whatever reason dies. I should the delete the account from AD and add another computer using the same name? Isn't it true that if you delete an account, you cannot re-create it, which is hwy we disable accounts instead of deleting them?

 

[LloydSev]

no.. not true at all.. I delete accounts from AD and then re-add them all the time..

that's one of the easiest fixes for a # of AD problems with GPO.

Computer/Network Technician
CCNA

 

[lgarner]

As I recall the warning about account deletion is that you can't re-use the SID. You're new account won't be the same as the original with regards to permissions and that sort of thing. This is normal and happens with other OSes as well; I don't know why there's such a big, scary warning with Windows.