Changing ComputerName

[Pascal Bouchard]

I have two partitions on a HD; when the first is set to boot, it needs to
change the computername of the second partition before to boot on it; if i
remember, the computername is in the registry; is there a way to access this
registry of the second partition while booted from the first ?

Tks!

 

[steves]

If you can manually run regedit.exe you can 'load a hive' file to
access the second disk. This works basically as follows:

1) Open Regedit
2) Select a top level key
3) Select file, load hive,
4) Browse to locate the hive of interest
Default locations C:\Windows\System32\config
file 'System' = HKLM\System
file 'Software = HKLM\Software
Default user file is located at (by default)
c:\Documents and Settings\default user\ntuser.dat
5) Give the hive a name (e.g XPE_System)

Now you can make your changes. Be sure to select the loaded branch and
then use the 'Unload hive' command to close it.

That's the manual way, good for experimenting before automating. I
would bet that there is an automated way available, but I don't know
what it is. Maybe REG.EXE could automate this.

I have also seen threads about changing the user name in this
newsgroup. (Search this newsgroup for 'Computer Name' + registry).

A Previous post from Andy Allred[MS] included:

 

[Pascal Bouchard]

This is exactly what i was looking for; however, my "Load Hives" is
disabled; how can i make it available ?

If you can manually run regedit.exe you can 'load a hive' file to
access the second disk. This works basically as follows:

1) Open Regedit
2) Select a top level key
3) Select file, load hive,
4) Browse to locate the hive of interest
Default locations C:\Windows\System32\config
file 'System' = HKLM\System
file 'Software = HKLM\Software
Default user file is located at (by default)
c:\Documents and Settings\default user\ntuser.dat
5) Give the hive a name (e.g XPE_System)

Now you can make your changes. Be sure to select the loaded branch and
then use the 'Unload hive' command to close it.

That's the manual way, good for experimenting before automating. I
would bet that there is an automated way available, but I don't know
what it is. Maybe REG.EXE could automate this.

I have also seen threads about changing the user name in this
newsgroup. (Search this newsgroup for 'Computer Name' + registry).

A Previous post from Andy Allred[MS] included:

 

[KM]

Pascal,

Have a root registry key selected in regedit. E.g., select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE node, the got o the File menu and select "Load Hive"
item.

Also you can use "reg.exe /LOAD" command.

=========
Regards,
KM

This is exactly what i was looking for; however, my "Load Hives" is disabled; how can i make it available ?

If you can manually run regedit.exe you can 'load a hive' file to
access the second disk. This works basically as follows:

1) Open Regedit
2) Select a top level key
3) Select file, load hive,
4) Browse to locate the hive of interest
Default locations C:\Windows\System32\config
file 'System' = HKLM\System
file 'Software = HKLM\Software
Default user file is located at (by default)
c:\Documents and Settings\default user\ntuser.dat
5) Give the hive a name (e.g XPE_System)

Now you can make your changes. Be sure to select the loaded branch and
then use the 'Unload hive' command to close it.

That's the manual way, good for experimenting before automating. I
would bet that there is an automated way available, but I don't know
what it is. Maybe REG.EXE could automate this.

I have also seen threads about changing the user name in this
newsgroup. (Search this newsgroup for 'Computer Name' + registry).

A Previous post from Andy Allred[MS] included:

You could use a script to alter the ComputerName & Hostname keys such as
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName
&
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
before sealing it.

Note sure if that's it, though. I do know that if it's on the domain there will be other
keys.

Andy

 

[Brad Combs]

Sorry to hop in....

If a key is selected below the root the option won't be available. Choose
something like \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

HTH,
Brad

 

[Pascal Bouchard]

Thanks it works perfectly. (reg.exe)

Pascal,

Have a root registry key selected in regedit. E.g., select
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE node, the got o the File menu and select "Load Hive"
item.

Also you can use "reg.exe /LOAD" command.

=========
Regards,
KM

This is exactly what i was looking for; however, my "Load Hives" is
disabled; how can i make it available ?

If you can manually run regedit.exe you can 'load a hive' file to
access the second disk. This works basically as follows:

1) Open Regedit
2) Select a top level key
3) Select file, load hive,
4) Browse to locate the hive of interest
Default locations C:\Windows\System32\config
file 'System' = HKLM\System
file 'Software = HKLM\Software
Default user file is located at (by default)
c:\Documents and Settings\default user\ntuser.dat
5) Give the hive a name (e.g XPE_System)

Now you can make your changes. Be sure to select the loaded branch and
then use the 'Unload hive' command to close it.

That's the manual way, good for experimenting before automating. I
would bet that there is an automated way available, but I don't know
what it is. Maybe REG.EXE could automate this.

I have also seen threads about changing the user name in this
newsgroup. (Search this newsgroup for 'Computer Name' + registry).

A Previous post from Andy Allred[MS] included:

You could use a script to alter the ComputerName & Hostname keys such
as
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName
&
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
before sealing it.

Note sure if that's it, though. I do know that if it's on the domain
there will be other
keys.

Andy

 

[windowsxpejunkie]

The registry key method works well in Workgroup or fixed IP. If other
systems need to access the XPE box and if you use a DHCP server with DNS
or WINS for IP it gets really messy dealing with Netbios names and DNS
FQNs. Better to use fixed IP for the "Box with 2 Names" or at the very
least a reserved IP for the MAC address.

windowsjunkie

Thanks it works perfectly. (reg.exe)

Pascal,

Have a root registry key selected in regedit. E.g., select
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE node, the got o the File menu and select "Load Hive"
item.

Also you can use "reg.exe /LOAD" command.

=========
Regards,
KM

This is exactly what i was looking for; however, my "Load Hives" is
disabled; how can i make it available ?


If you can manually run regedit.exe you can 'load a hive' file to
access the second disk. This works basically as follows:

1) Open Regedit
2) Select a top level key
3) Select file, load hive,
4) Browse to locate the hive of interest
Default locations C:\Windows\System32\config
file 'System' = HKLM\System
file 'Software = HKLM\Software
Default user file is located at (by default)
c:\Documents and Settings\default user\ntuser.dat
5) Give the hive a name (e.g XPE_System)

Now you can make your changes. Be sure to select the loaded branch and
then use the 'Unload hive' command to close it.

That's the manual way, good for experimenting before automating. I
would bet that there is an automated way available, but I don't know
what it is. Maybe REG.EXE could automate this.

I have also seen threads about changing the user name in this
newsgroup. (Search this newsgroup for 'Computer Name' + registry).

A Previous post from Andy Allred[MS] included:

You could use a script to alter the ComputerName & Hostname keys such
as
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName
&
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
before sealing it.

Note sure if that's it, though. I do know that if it's on the domain
there will be other
keys.

Andy