Rename a computer programmatically

Question

I need to automate the changing of the hostname of a computer, but I can't figure out how to do it inside a program. My options are open; I would be happy with a solution in any of the following:

Command line
Java
Python
C# (would prefer one of the other 3, but this is ok)

It would be helpful to learn how to do this on both Linux and Windows.

Answer 1

For Unix-based systems:

Command line:

$ hostname "host.domain.com"

Python (sort of):

import os
os.system('hostname "host.domain.com"')

Answer 2

In Windows you have to modify registry keys and the reboot the system.

You actually have to change two entries:

HostName under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TcpIp\Parameters

and

ComputerName under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName

Please note that if the computer ha joined an NT Domain this change could be harmful (and in this case you have an additional entry to change under TcpIp\Parameters).

Answer 3

You could also do this in powershell on windows. Seems safer to me than changing registry keys by hand :

$computer = Get-WmiObject Win32_ComputerSystem -OriginalPCname OriginalName -computername $originalPCName
$computer.Rename("NEWCOMPUTERNAME")
}

see this poshcode page