Hi, Is it possible to change the PC name from WinPE? The PC is running Windows 7 32 bit ánd 64 bit Windows 7. Any Ideas?N.A.Malik

Hi, You can try to create an unattend.xml answer file like this: <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" processorArchitecture="amd64"> <ComputerName>_ComputerName_</ComputerName> <EnableNetwork>true</EnableNetwork> <EnableFirewall>false</EnableFirewall> </component> This example assumes you are using a 64-bit version of Windows PE. Then, when you build your Windows PE environment, copy this answer file to the \ISO folder of your Windows PE build folder. Now, when you boot a system using Windows PE it will use the answer file to set the computer name. Specifically, when wpeinit runs it will apply the customizations you have specified in your answer file. Note that you can also apply such customizations manually from within Windows PE by running the wpeinit /unattend:<path>\unattend.xml command, but this won't work for setting the computer name since this must be done at startup and cannot be done after Windows PE has initialized. More detail you can refer this article: http://www.mtit.com/reskit/chapter09.htm Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information. Hope that helps. Regards, Leo Huang 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.

Thank you for the reply. I think it will not help me much. Here is the more detailed information regarding what I want to do. I am cloning machines with a cloning software(Ghost), the boot image uses WinPE and when cloning is completed I can see the WinPE command prompt. Please let me know if at this stage I can change the PC name? I dont want to use Ghost Walk that change the SID and PC name, rather I try to do this from winPE not from Ghost Walk. Any suggestions?N.A.Malik

Hi, I’m afraid you cannot change PC name via WinPE command at runtime. This similar case may helpful to you: http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=1548 Please Note: Since the website is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information. Thank you for your understanding. Regards, Leo Huang 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.

Thxs for the reply. The link to web page was not working when I tried, will check it again and update you in this regard. http://www.jsiinc.com/suba/tip0200/rh0285.htmN.A.Malik

Hi, Did you check if it works on that regard? http://www.jsiinc.com/suba/tip0200/rh0285.htm Please feel free to let me know. Thank you. Regards, Leo Huang 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.

HI, Thank you for the reply. The above link is not working for me. I got The page cannot be found could you please copy / past the contents if you can access that URL? N.A.Malik

If you are talking about changing the name of a computer with Windows 7 already installed, yes you can do it in WinPE. From your WinPE command prompt, type regedit to open the Registry Editor. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. Then select File/Load Hive. Browse to <drive>\Windows\System32\config and select the file "SYSTEM", where <drive> is where your Windows installation is. It could be C: D: or E:. In the popup, select a name of your choice such as Temp. Navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Temp\ControlSet001\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName. Change the value of ComputerName in that key. Navigate back to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Temp, and select File\Unload Hive. I don't know if that last step is really necessary but I always do it. Reboot and you should have your new name. Note, if the computer is in a domain you will have to re-join the domain.

Hi, Sounds interesting, I will check it and get back with the results I observe, thank you.N.A.Malik

I see you have ghost, 2 easy way.If not using the console, you can either script yourself a vbs to change the sysprep (of you do run sysprep on your windows 7) for the computer name you want. Else, you can use the ghconfig.exe command. I myself use ghconfig.exe using a script that check the mac address and compare the result in a database for the computer name. If it's not found, it will simply ask for it.