[fog] Computer naming problems after ghosting

[Chad_Brad]

I've just started using Fog and i'm having a problem after I image the machines. After the computer images, Sysprep starts and I rename the PC and join it under our domain. When finished the computer goes through chkdsk and restarts. When it comes back up the computer has been renamed back to when it was registered with Fog and I cannot connect to the domain, AD is showing the new and old name. I have stopped the Fog services and deleted the computer/host in fog. I can rename the PC and get it back on the domain, but fog re-registers it. At this point everything works, but if i have to rename the computer in the future i'll have to redo these steps.

 

My question is: is there a way to either stop fog from changing the computers name and dis-joining it form the domain or stop fog all together after the ghosting is complete?

 

My setup:

Ubuntu 8.10

Fog 0.28

All machines are HP using XP

 

Thanks

[ssx4life]

There are a few ways of doing this, but I'm curious why it isn't working for you.

 

 

Are you using the fog client service to rename the computer or are you doing it though sysprep? If you have the client service running AND you are changing it in sysprep it could cause issues

[diggory]

If you need to rename a PC without re-imaging it, then let FOG do the hard graft.

sysprep the machine - by default it will turn up a random name.

BEFORE the machine boots after that, change the name of the PC in FOG.

Then the FOG service will rename the PC and rejoin it to the domain for you.

 

Otherwise you're fighting the FOG service.

[ssx4life]

actually that's not correct 100%

 

Fog correlates the computer name based off the mac address.

 

You could have sysprep do dmi information such as %Serial Number% or any other DMI fields. By doing so it could install with the CORRECT name on it being imaged, and then register it though the fog service.

 

**This method is only used if you want to bypass PXE booting the unit**

 

YMMV, so do it how you want. Either PXE boot and register... or don't and DMI it.

Edited September 13, 2010 by ssx4life

[diggory]

actually that's not correct 100%

 

Fog correlates the computer name based off the mac address.

 

You could have sysprep do dmi information such as %Serial Number% or any other DMI fields. By doing so it could install with the CORRECT name on it being imaged, and then register it though the fog service.

 

**This method is only used if you want to bypass PXE booting the unit**

 

YMMV, so do it how you want. Either PXE boot and register... or don't and DMI it.

 

Sorry I didn't fully explain my post.

 

I you have already imaged a machine in FOG and want to change it's name...

 

You could sysprep the machine - which would take it off the domain and give it a random name (when it boots into the sysprep setup).

[This assumes you have a sysprep.ini which is fully automated - which is the usual way with FOG images..]

 

Then before the machine is booted..

 

Have a look at the (already registered) machine entry in FOG. Change the name there.

 

Boot the machine.

The FOG service on the machine will then change the name of the machine, from the random name (given by sysprep earlier) to the one you changed it to in FOG (as ssx4life mentioned - it will use the mac address to match the name up in it's database).

 

The FOG service will then join the machine back too the domain.

 

Job done?