Koozali.org: home of the SME Server

Remove a workstation from the domain

Offline Smitro

  • *
  • 349
  • +0/-0
Remove a workstation from the domain
« on: August 03, 2009, 03:44:02 PM »
Hi all,

After much searching, I give up, I can't find it!

I've renamed one of my workstations on the domain to something else. It failed. So I thought I'd go back. It failed to. (I'll give you more info later, that's not my question).

I have a feeling that these computer names that I was trying are names of previous machines. Is it possible to delete them from the domain, so I can use the names again?
.........

Offline cactus

  • *
  • 4,880
  • +3/-0
    • http://www.snetram.nl
Re: Remove a workstation from the domain
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2009, 03:54:22 PM »
I've renamed one of my workstations on the domain to something else. It failed. So I thought I'd go back. It failed to. (I'll give you more info later, that's not my question).
Why not give all detail directly? What error message did you receive?

I have a feeling that these computer names that I was trying are names of previous machines. Is it possible to delete them from the domain, so I can use the names again?
You can easily find out what machine names are in use according to your SME Server:
Code: [Select]
db accounts show | grep machine
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth ~ Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Offline Smitro

  • *
  • 349
  • +0/-0
Re: Remove a workstation from the domain
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2009, 04:06:19 PM »
Sorry, I didn't have the error in front of me at the time.

"A device attached to the system is not functioning" when trying to rename the computer and also when trying to re-join it to the domain.

I've now managed to join the work station back onto the domain using another name.

Is it possible for me to safely clean up some of those accounts? There is about 6 in my list that the machine no longer exsit.
.........

Offline cactus

  • *
  • 4,880
  • +3/-0
    • http://www.snetram.nl
Re: Remove a workstation from the domain
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2009, 12:12:55 AM »
Sorry, I didn't have the error in front of me at the time.
Fair enough.

"A device attached to the system is not functioning" when trying to rename the computer and also when trying to re-join it to the domain.
Strange I have never seen such an error, are you sure that is the exact error message? You can check these messages in the eventlog of the windows system IIRC.

Is it possible for me to safely clean up some of those accounts? There is about 6 in my list that the machine no longer exsit.
I need to check what actions need to be taken for that in the events scripts as I do not know this by head and it is a little late here. Will see if I can give you some clues tomorrow.

Next time please properly unjoin your machine from the network into a workgroup, rename and after that place it in the domain again (do not shortcut here as it requires a few reboots), that should prevent errors in hostname removal AFAIK.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth ~ Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)