Rename-Computer

Renames a computer.

Syntax

Rename-Computer
      [-ComputerName <String>]
      [-PassThru]
      [-DomainCredential <PSCredential>]
      [-LocalCredential <PSCredential>]
      [-NewName] <String>
      [-Force]
      [-Restart]
      [-WsmanAuthentication <String>]
      [-Protocol <String>]
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Rename-Computer cmdlet renames the local computer or a remote computer. It renames one computer in each command.

This cmdlet was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

Examples

Example 1: Rename the local computer

PS C:\> Rename-Computer -NewName "Server044" -DomainCredential Domain01\Admin01 -Restart

This command renames the local computer to Server044 and then restarts it to make the change effective.

Example 2: Rename a remote computer

PS C:\> Rename-Computer -ComputerName "Srv01" -NewName "Server001" -LocalCredential Srv01\Admin01 -DomainCredential Domain01\Admin01 -Force -PassThru -Restart

This command renames the Srv01 computer to Server001 and then restarts it to make the change effective. It uses the LocalCredential parameter to supply the credentials of a user who has permission to connect to the local computer and the DomainCredential parameter to supply the credentials of a user who has permission to rename computers in the domain. It uses the Force parameter to suppress the confirmation prompt and the PassThru parameter to return the results of the command.

Example 3: Rename multiple computers

PS C:\> $a = Import-Csv ServerNames.csv -Header OldName, NewName

PS C:\> Foreach ( $Server in $a ) {Rename-Computer -ComputerName $Server.OldName -NewName $Server.NewName -DomainCredential Domain01\Admin01 -Force -Restart}

This command renames multiple computers in the domain. It uses a CSV file to specify the values for the current and new names of each computer. The CSV file contains a series of name pairs in "OldName, NewName" format with one name pair on each line of the file.

The first command uses the Import-Csv cmdlet to import the ServerNames.csv file into the $a variable. It uses the Header parameter to specify the column header names of each of the two columns. This creates a collection of custom objects in $a, each of which has an OldName and NewName property.

The second command runs the Rename-Computer cmdlet on each object in the $a variable. It specifies the old name, which is the value of the OldName property, for the value of the ComputerName parameter. It specifiesthe new name, the value of the NewName property, for the value of the NewName parameter. The command specifies domain credentials and uses Force and Restart to suppress all user prompts and restart each computer after it is renamed.

Required Parameters

-NewName

Specifies a new name for the computer. This parameter is required. The name cannot include control characters, leading or trailing spaces, or any of the following characters: / \\ [ ].

Type: String
Position: 1
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False

Optional Parameters

-ComputerName

Renames the specified remote computer. The default is the local computer.

Type the NetBIOS name, an IP address, or a fully qualified domain name of a remote computer. To specify the local computer, type the computer name, a dot (.), or localhost.

This parameter does not rely on Windows PowerShell remoting. You can use the ComputerName parameter of Rename-Computer even if your computer is not configured to run remote commands.

Type: String
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type: SwitchParameter
Aliases: cf
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-DomainCredential

Specifies a user account that has permission to connect to the domain. Explicit credentials are required to rename a computer that is joined to a domain.

Type a user name, such as User01 or Domain01\User01, or enter a PSCredential object, such as one generated by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, this cmdlet prompts you for a password.

To specify a user account that has permission to connect to the computer that is specified by the ComputerName parameter, use the LocalCredential parameter.

Type: PSCredential
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Force

Forces the command to run without asking for user confirmation.

Type: SwitchParameter
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-LocalCredential

Specifies a user account that has permission to connect to the computer specified by the ComputerName parameter. The default is the current user.

Type a user name, such as User01 or Domain01\User01, or enter a PSCredential object, such as one generated by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, this cmdlet prompts you for a password.

To specify a user account that has permission to connect to the domain, use the DomainCredential parameter.

Type: PSCredential
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-PassThru

Returns the results of the command. Otherwise, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Type: SwitchParameter
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Protocol

Specifies which protocol to use to rename the computer. The acceptable values for this parameter are: WSMan and DCOM. The default value is DCOM.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

Type: String
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Restart

Indicates that this cmdlet restarts the computer that was renamed. A restart is often required to make the change effective.

Type: SwitchParameter
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Type: SwitchParameter
Aliases: wi
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-WsmanAuthentication

Specifies the mechanism that is used to authenticate the user credentials when this cmdlet uses the WSMan protocol. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Basic
  • CredSSP
  • Default
  • Digest
  • Kerberos
  • Negotiate

The default value is Default.

For more information about the values of this parameter, see AuthenticationMechanism Enumeration in the MSDN library.

Caution: Credential Security Service Provider (CredSSP) authentication, in which the user credentials are passed to a remote computer to be authenticated, is designed for commands that require authentication on more than one resource, such as accessing a remote network share. This mechanism increases the security risk of the remote operation. If the remote computer is compromised, the credentials that are passed to it can be used to control the network session.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

Type: String
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

Inputs

None

This cmdlet does not have parameters that take input by value. However, you can pipe the values of the ComputerName and NewName properties of objects to this cmdlet.

Outputs

Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ComputerChangeInfo

This cmdlet returns a ComputerChangeInfo object, if you specify the PassThru parameter. Otherwise, it does not return any output.