Hi im trying to deploy a win7 image via SCCM and OSD, it works but i want to get it to name the computer automatically. i have set a task sequence variable that can set the computer name. but i would like it to be able to set a name with a number, that it just uses the lowest unused number. this is possible in WDS and very easy to do you just put %30# in the name field to give you a number with 3 char and pad out with 0's. the same formant doesnt work in SCCM it has an error when its preparing the system settings. does any one know if this is possible and how? it should be easy im not looking at writing VB scripts or any thing like that

Hello - I think, you can get some good idea from the below post. http://www.windows-noob.com/forums/index.php?/topic/1133-setting-computername-during-deployment/#entry5374 Anoop C Nair - This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees, and confers no rights. |Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

thanks i have seen that. doesn't really answer my question, i have been able to set up a TS to give the machine a name, but i have been unable to find anything on making just an autonumber

you can do it using a webservice like this one from Michael Niehaus, with an explanation of what you need to do to get it working by Maik Koster http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/maikkoster/archive/2011/04/04/michael-niehaus-ris-style-naming-web-service-step-by-step.aspx I've tested it and it works great cheers niall My step by step SCCM Guides I'm on Twitter > ncbrady

hmmm, that's an aweful lot of stuffing around for something that should be very simple

Why not just use the system's serial number and set OSDComputerName = %SerialNumber%? Also http://scug.be/blogs/lars/archive/2011/04/21/automatically-generate-computer-s-name-with-mdt-db-and-a-customized-customsettings-ini.aspx may help.

because that's not our naming convention.

You cannot realize this with features of Configuration Manager. I suggest you find some scripts that may help you on this. Refer: Client Computer Naming like WDS (AD DS)? Possible in SCCM OSD w/MDT? http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrosd/thread/39eaa0e9-1b24-4123-a072-2a01ed1e7e6bPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

You can also use a script to get it done. On my blog I have described which script can be used for assigning a dynamic computername. Have a look at that, maybe it can be used for adding a number also. Website: http://henkhoogendoorn.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-assign-dynamic-computername.html This works great on XP and Win7 systems, without the need for MDT functionality. There is also a tool named "Workstation Name Changer" which can generate an (random) computername with many Command Line Switches possible. Have a look at that also. Website: http://mystuff.clarke.co.nz/MyStuff/wsname.asp At last it is possible to stop OSD Task Sequence during deployment and fill in the computername and number yourself. My ConfigMgr blog: http://henkhoogendoorn.blogspot.com Follow me on Twitter: @henkhoogendoorn

If you have a specific naming convention you need to store the nodename somewhere, Mcrosoft had provided a tool for this, it's called MDT. You can define computernames in the MDT database and extract the computername using the toolkit package when you are running you Task Sequence. Admitted, MDT takes a lot of time and effort to get going but it's so flexible when you do. We pre-stage all our computernames in MDT using a custom webpage or you can use Maik Koster's MDT FrontEnd. The bottom line is you have to store the computername somewhere and better to use the tools provided.

Hi, Without prestaging you can enable unknown computer support and use unique identifiers like system Tag or MAC adress to generate a computername. For instance, you can use the MAC address without the symbols or the system Tag with the addition of a recognizable chars. With VBS you can easily change TS variables like OSDComputerName and _SMSTSMachineName. If you have a naming convention you can only use prestaging or a custom script to do this because you will need a source and intelligence that take care of the naming provisioning/issuing to avoid duplicates. Regards