Windows Server 2008 DC name issue

[Louis McIntyre]

I have a Domain Controller in Active Directory that I would like to have the DC object name changed. When I look at my Domain Controllers OU, the DC's name is "Oldname" I open the properties for the DC and it's Computer Name is "NewName", DNS name: "NewName.domain.com" and site is "NewName"
I have looked at the ADSI properties for DC and its cn is "OldName", distinguishedName: "CN=OldName,OU=Domain Controllers,DC=domain,DC=com" and the name is "OldName"

My question is what issues could I have changing all of the OldName entries to the NewName using ADSIedit and will that change the AD object display name.

 

[Silverhazesurfer]

I think you want this

Rename a domain controller
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782761(WS.10).aspx


Additionally:

Renaming domain controllers
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc740045(WS.10).aspx

Domain Controller Name Registration
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc978020.aspx

 

[Louis McIntyre]

Thank you, I have read through those and I used the netdom command to verify my DC's name via command:
netdom computername OldName /enumerate:AllNames
Got error "The RPC server is unavailable."
Then tried:
netdom computername NewName /enumerate:AllNames
Received:
"All of the names for the computer are:

NewName.domain.com
The command completed successfully."

I believe someone tried to rename this server at one point and it doesn't appear to have the OldName anymore, I still have DNS records for the OldName as well as the NewName. My point in changing the Active Directory Object name is for Spiceworks to recognize the Domain Controller as a Domain Controller. The server's Name doesn't match the Domain Controllers Name in AD. The AD object's name is "Oldname" while all of the AD properties have it named "NewName"

 

[Silverhazesurfer]

Someone broke it and now you have to fix it?

 

[Louis McIntyre]

Yeah. It was about two network admins before me. I have been handed the task of clearing up the inventory list in our spiceworks. And being that it is a DC server I have to test my solution before I try it on it, and have not successfully duplicated this issue on my test platform.

 

[Silverhazesurfer]

bah! when in doubt, rebuild AD!

 

[Louis McIntyre]

Lol, that actually is going to be a future project that we haven't started working on yet. Was hoping someone knew how to fix this, so that I could minimize my pain of trying to figure out what someone else did.

 

[Silverhazesurfer]

what happens when you modify the ADSI properties in your test with the similar setup?


I am curious to see what happens when you rename via the system properties rather than the way you're doing it. maybe this is the breakdown in the chain.


Windows does some really wierd things with those wizards. I am positive that this uses the same command, but maybe something else is tripping the script. unexpected setting? As we know, there are proper ways of doing things, and the way everyone else does them.

 

[Louis McIntyre]

In my test I successfully changed the AD object name for my server from OldName to NewName using ADSIEdit.msc and changing the CN, and it kept all of its OldName entries under the DC's Properties, now to test what effect this will have.

 

[Silverhazesurfer]