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Windows 2000 Server Rename Computer

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by vandean 1 view

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I have an environment with 1 windows 2k domain controller running Active Directory, and several windows NT 4 BDC's. When I upgraded the PDC to Win2k it changed the computer name on me. I need to change this back before upgrading further. I have checked into this, and Microsoft says I can remove AD and demote the DC to a Member Server and them rename it, but that if it is the last DC then I will lose all users. Is there some way to do this without losing everything?

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by beermonster

The simplest solution is to upgrade one of the other BDC's to win2k, give it the PDC emulator role (go to admin tools, users and computers, right click on the root and choose operations masters, select the PDC tab and select change)then dcpromo the original machine out of the network. Do the name change and dcpromo it back in, give it back the PDC emulation role. BTW theres almost certainly a reason that Win2k changed the name, usually this is because there is a non DNS compliant character in it (like an underscore _). You may well find if this is the case that you are going to have to live with a different name. Hope it goes well...

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