Windows 7 - Computer Name - View and Change

**Brink**

How to View and Change the Computer Name in Windows 7

Information

Computers on a network must have a unique computer name so they can identify and communicate with each other. This will show you how to view and change your computer name in Windows 7.

Note

It is recommend that you use only Internet-standard characters in the computer name. The standard characters are the numbers 0 through 9, uppercase and lowercase letters from A through Z, and the hyphen (-) character. Computer names cannot consist entirely of numbers, nor can they contain spaces. The name also cannot contain special characters, such as the following:

` ~ @ # $ % ^ & ( ) = + [ ] { } | ; : , ‘ “ . < > / ?

Warning

Some Internet service providers (ISPs) require you to use a specific computer name so they can identify your computer and validate your account. If your ISP requires a specific computer name, then do not change the name they give you.

If you are part of a domain, then you will have to remove the computer from the domain (change to workgroup) first, delete any machine accounts that are incorrect from the domain, rename your computer, and rejoin the domain.

EXAMPLE: Computer Name
NOTE: This is in the System window from the Control Panel.

Here's How:

1. Open the Start menu, then right click on the Computer button and click on Properties.
A) Go to step 3.

OR

2. Open the Control Panel (All items view), and click on the System icon.

3. Click on either Advanced System Settings in the left column, or Change settings link. (see screenshot below)

4. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

5. Click on the Computer Name tab, then click on the Change button. (see screenshot below)

6. Under Computer name, type in the computer name that you want for your computer to be identified as on the network and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: See the blue note box at the top of the tutorial.

7. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This does not restart the computer yet.

8. Click on Close. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Notice the new computer name.

9. Click on Restart Now. (See screenshot below)
WARNING: This will restart the computer immediately. Be sure that you save and close anything you have open first.

10. After the restart, you can go back to step 1 to verify the new computer name.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**zrtom** · 08-08-2010

I have two (separate) issues when changing the computer name on two (separate) systems I'm working on.

On a desktop (Windows 7 x64), when I change the computer name it hangs considerably at boot (hangs at the spinning circle at the "Welcome" screen that at least doubles the boot time). It doesn't seem to iron itself out after several reboots (like if it were a router connection issue and needed a new address assigned). Nothing significant in the event log. If I change back to the original computer name, everything is fine again.

Then, on a laptop (Windows 7 x86), when I change the computer name the boot is fine, but it hangs at shutdown "Logging Off." It hangs there permanently requiring a power-off. Changing back to the original computer name returns things to normal for this one also.

Any ideas for either of these?
Tom

**Brink** · 08-08-2010

Hello Tom,

Not sure why, but depending on how you have your network setup, you might check to see if you may need to reassign a IP address for your desktop computer connection. The router may still be seeing it with the old computer name.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

**zrtom** · 08-12-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Brink

Hello Tom,

Not sure why, but depending on how you have your network setup, you might check to see if you may need to reassign a IP address for your desktop computer connection. The router may still be seeing it with the old computer name.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

That's a good point, Shawn. At the time I might have set a DHCP reservation on the router for the Desktop and that might have caused some confusion. I'll work more in that area if I try changing the computer name again (I've just left it as it is for now).

As for the laptop, that's currently more important and has me frustrated. I won't complete logging off even with all network adapters disabled, so I think it's having issues logging off the user account rather than the network.
Tom

**Brink** · 08-12-2010

Tom,

I suppose that you could create a new administrator account on the laptop to test to see how it logs off from it to see if does the same.

Windows 7 - Computer Name - View and Change

Computer Name - View and Change

Computer Name - View and Change problems?