I have an office network consisting of a Windows 2000 Server and 8 desktops. One desktop crashed and needs to be replaced. Using Acronis software, I "cloned" a new computer off an existing network computer so that my office-wide software remained the same on all 8 desktops. The problem I am having is naming the "cloned" desktop. The network won't allow me as Administrator to use the original name. Since the desktops are named sequential numbers 1 thru 8, should I name the "new cloned" computer 9 or 10?

google and download the NewSid utility and run it on that unit. Then go into Active Directory and DNS and delete that machine account. Then rejoin the domain. Confirm a host/ptr record is made in DNS Doing so will allow you to use the same machine name. If you don't run the newsid utility you will have headack dealing with the original and cloned pc.

Thank you for your response. May I pick your brain with one alternative idea? Is there any problem with deleting the original computer name from the Active Directory and just using a new name. For example: Our computers now are named WS01 thru WS08. Could I just name the new one WS09 or WS10 and delete WS04 which was the name/number of the original computer?

If you don't run the newsid utility you will have headack dealing with the original and cloned pc... no matter what the name AD doesn't deal with names. That is a convenience for humans. The SID [security identifier] is how the unit is seen and addressed in AD. By having two machines with the same sid AD can't differenciate between the two and weird things happen. Google newsid