The Organization Name in Sysprep.inf Is Not Used to Randomly Generate a New Computer Name (828730)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP3
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP4
Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you use the System Preparation tool (Sysprep.exe) to specify a new, randomly generated computer name that is based on the organization name, and you specify the organization name when you generate the Sysprep.inf file, that organization name is not used to generate the computer name. Instead, the organization name that you previously specified in the master image may be used to generate the computer name. For example, if the organization name that is used in the master image is First_Organization, but an organization name of Second_Organization is specified in the Sysprep.inf file, the randomly generated computer name will start with First_Organization instead of with Second_Organization.

CAUSE

This behavior is the expected behavior in Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3) and later when you use Sysprep.exe to randomly generate a computer name. The name is generated by using the first eight characters (or fewer, if there are fewer than eight) of one of the strings that is found in the following locations, in order of preference:
  1. The value in the RegisteredOrganization entry in the following registry subkey:

    HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

  2. The value in the RegisteredOwner entry in the following registry subkey:

    HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

  3. The OrgName value from Sysprep.inf
  4. The FullName value from Sysprep.inf

WORKAROUND

To force Sysprep.exe to use the user-defined values (that are specified in the Sysprep.inf file) to randomly generate the computer name, delete the data in the RegisteredOrganization registry value and in the RegisteredOwner registry value before you run Sysprep.exe on the Microsoft Windows installation.

Note Do not delete the values themselves. Instead, delete the data from these values (and leave these values that contain no data in the registry). If you delete the RegisteredOrganization value and the RegisteredOwner value instead of deleting the data in the values, the computer name will be generated as a completely random number.

To delete the data in the registry values, follow these steps.

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

    HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

  4. In the right pane, under Name, click RegisteredOwner.
  5. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
  6. Select the contents of the Value data box, press the DELETE key, and then click OK.
  7. In the right pane, under Name, click RegisteredOrganization.
  8. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
  9. Select the contents of the Value data box, press DELETE, and then click OK.
  10. Quit Registry Editor.
For additional information about how to use Sysprep.exe, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

298491 HOW TO: Use the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep.exe) to Perform Disk Duplication

STATUS

This behavior is by design in Windows 2000 SP3 and later.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/13/2003
Keywords:KB828730
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.