How to rename a Windows Server 2008 Domain Controller
At my company we develop on virtual machines, the problem is that we create a new VM for every client. Since there is a lot, we have a base VM setup up with Windows Server 2008 R2, and SQL Server 2008 R2. This is a master VM and gets copied to create a client VM every time. The problem with this is that it is also setup as a local domain controller. Renaming a DC is a risky business, but I found a great post on how to use tools provided by Microsoft to rename a server that is a DC, and this is a pretty simple three step operation:
There is only one requirement, the user running these commands must be a domain admin. So open a Command Prompt window, and type the following commands:
NOTE: for this I am going to use the following details:
- Current name: jnbapp.dev.local
- New name: devapp.dev.local
- Domain: dev (dev.local)
- netdom computername jnbapp.dev.local /add: devapp.dev.local
- netdom computername jnbapp.dev.local /makeprimary: devapp.dev.local
- You must now restart the machine, you can’t skip this step !!
- Once restarted: netdom devapp.dev.local /remove:jnbapp.dev.local
netdom is tool that you can use to do many operations, but here we are telling it that we want to modify the “computername” settings.
Once you have done those 4 simple steps, your DC is now renamed.
Disclaimer:
Please read the disclaimer if you plan on using anything from this article.
Mac or PC ?
My laptop, which is about six years old, has finally given up on life and the battery is dead. I have tried to get a new battery but as I suspected there are none available in South Africa nor do they make them any more. So I have to take the plunge and get a new laptop, even though I have a desktop at home, I just need to have a laptop when I travel and for home with email, as I use my desktop for development.
I have always been an Apple fan but just have not been able to afford them but now I might be able to. I have been looking at the MacBook Pro 13” (with 250 gig HDD, four gigs of memory), and the normal basic entry level MacBook (with 250 gig HDD, two gigs of memory), although I don’t like the white body, plus I like the option of taking the MacBook Pro with four gigs of memory instead of two.
but there are the same options in the PC laptop world, for a cheaper cost, which are big pluses for me, but those are really the only benefits I can think of, if I want better specifications then I will start looking at the same or higher prices than the MacBook and MacBook Pro. While I agree that for 16 grand, I cat get the MacBook Pro 13” with four gigs of memory and 250 gigs HDD, but for 16 grand I can get a seriously good PC laptop from Dell, Lenovo, and Toshiba.
What still brings me back to paying the price of the MacBook and MacBook Pro is that it is an apple, so it is stable, the OS manages the resources much better than any PC laptop can and ever will while running Windows, and it’s an APPLE!
So I foresee myself having to find 16 grand somewhere in the near future to get a MacBook, cause they are fantastic machines and lets be honest, they do look really nice!
about me
I am a C#, Silverlight, K2 workflow and Sharepoint Consultant, living and working in Johannesburg, South Africa. I have a passion for teaching people anything I can in order to spread the knowledge and skills I have. You can follow me on twitter at @MrThirsty.