Step by Step- How to Rename Domain Name in Windows server 2016 safely with screen shots

In this article, we are showing you how to rename Domain Name in windows server 2016 with screenshots, This we have done for our lab Environment. So before doing for your production server take a backup for important file. We prefer do not use this until unless you need it.

Refer our recent article about "Step-By-Step Installation of Windows Server 2016 with Screen shots" and "How to install Active Directory on Windows server 2016 Step by step with screenshots".

Below are the URL for above: 

Installation of Windows Server 2016 Step by Step

Installation and Configure Active Directory on Windows Server 2016 Step by Step

So we will start doing this step by step, so here we will start by login to the Domain Server where we want to change DC name.

Make a note what name you want to rename and configure for DC.

• Login to the server and verify first computer name and DC which we have currently and we will change dc Name with easy step.

Below are the screenshot for current server DC name and computer name in our lab environment.

Note: we are performing this for Server 2016 Technical Preview, The same steps will be for released version. Once it will release we will update the same with new Screenshots and new experience .

• Open server Manager, by clicking from Taskbar or it will start automatic of once system will start. Here we will select DNS from Tools option in Server Manager Dashboard.

• Click on DNS and select your server from DNS Manager and right click on server DNS then select new Zone.

Note: we must create new DNS Zone with new name which we want rename from Existing DC server. This is to make sure that after whole process successfully, your member server @ Windows clients can join to new Domain name.

• New Zone wizard will Open, click on next

• Select Primary Zone and click on next.

• On the next page, Select below option do next.

• On this page we will select forward lookup Zone

• On this wizard, it will ask for New Zone Name, so here provide the name which we want to rename from the DC server name and click next.

• On new page, select below option and as this recommend for AD and click on next.

• Once all done it will come for summary page, verify all and click on finish.

So here we have created new DNS Zone effectively, now we will proceed for next step to rename the DC name. To do this we will start from Command prompt.

• Open command prompt with administrator rights

• So we navigate to login account using below command, once we will navigate to the page. We will run Rendom /List command. This command use to generate a state file named Domainlist.xml. This file contains the current forest configuration. Once enter it will generate one .xml file on navigated page.

• Here will edit this page, and enter new DC and BIOS name from exiting and we will save this.

• Here the exiting Domain and DNS name also BIOS Name.

• We will change it to new DNS name and BIOS as we want, below are the screen shot what we have changed to : PrashantLab.com

• All done we will save and exit from opened Notepad. And we will back to command prompt, here we will enter Rendom /ShowForeset. This is to show the potential changes; this step does not make any changes.

• Above command will not change anything, to be continue we will run below command to upload changes Domainlist.xml file. Enter Rendom /Upload, This is to upload the rename file (Domainlist.xml) to the configuration directory partition on the domain controller holding the domain naming operations master role. Once all successfully we will proceed next step.

• Enter random /Prepare command and hit enter. This will verify the readiness of each DC in the forest to carry out the rename instructions. This should no error result.

• Once this command will enter it will disturb current stage of server, and It will prompt about restart the server. See below screen same prompt will come will restart the server.

• Once you’re DC Server restarted, log in using the new Domain name as administrator. And we will verify by going system properties of server and we will see the domain name has been changed. But still full computer name is with old domain name. See the below screen.

• To refresh the DNS name and Gpupdate we will run few of commands, so again open command prompt with admin rights and we will run below command. It will refresh all intradomain references and links to group policy objects.

Note: Change this command as per your name of DC new and old.

gpfixup /olddns:SPSolutions.com /newdns:Prashantlab.com

• Now we will enter below command with updates as above. In our case we have not updated BIOS Name so it wont run. We will go next command called Rendom /Clean remove references of the old domain name from AD.

gpfixup /oldnb:Prashant /newnb:Prashant

• Now the last command will be there to exit from random, Enter random /end.

• Now open, DNS manger again, by clicking server manager and tools or dns on search. Here we will verify the new created zone which we have created first time, this will have all entery same as old Zone. Refer below screen shots to know more.

• Old Zone will transfer all information to new zone.

• Next we will show how to change AD name using command prompt.

• To connect other client PC with this New DC name, make sure firewall should off and IP address should be on server IP range. First try to ping to DC name if pinging then we can connect those systems.

See more on this link: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727049.aspx

Thanks,

Hope this will help some one ☺