What's the best way to rename the computer before joining the domain
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I wonder how best to rename the computer before or after joining the domain and what steps to take.
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@professorb24 “The best” is kind of a subjective answer. The best way is the way that works the easiest for you and for the type of OS you are deploying.
If you are referring to a windows computer there are two methods.
- Install the FOG Client software onto the golden image before image capture then enable the fog client renamer service.
- Use a fog postinstall script to update your target computer’s unattend.xml file and then let the windows setup program rename the computer and connect it to AD.
Its generally the best practice to rename the computer before connecting it to AD.
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@george1421 Do I enable the fog client renamer service, and where’s the unattended.xml file? Yes I am talking about the Windows computers.
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@professorb24 Here is a wiki page on the fog client install and setup: https://docs.fogproject.org/en/latest/installation/client/install-fog-client/
The unattend.xml file is a windows thing. There are many resources on the internet that discusses its setup: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/update-windows-settings-and-scripts-create-your-own-answer-file-sxs?view=windows-11
The unattend.xml file is an auto answer file used by the windows setup program to preanswer all of the questions that the installer might ask during installation. There are even answer file generators on the internet that you can answer a few simple questions and it will create the answer file in the proper format like this one: https://www.windowsafg.com/win10x86_x64_uefi.html (I would be careful entering your actual license key on a internet web page, just edit the answer file when you get it by hand to include your key).
I also have some tutorials on fog post install scripts. This one has code snippets at the bottom of the post that discuss the unattend.xml file and how to potentially update the file with the script. https://forums.fogproject.org/topic/7740/the-magical-mystical-fog-post-download-script The way the forum works read the first post and then scroll to the end to read the second and third posts in the series.
