A Mac's computer name

Where can I find my Mac's computer name?
Thanks.

It will and will not help what others see as your network name.
When using Bonjour services the System Preferences -> Sharing name will be displayed.
Also the System Preferences -> Sharing name is used to create a NetBIOS name, as used by some Windows sharing protocols (which means you might want to simplify the name, if you expect to use Windows sharing).
However, if you have a DHCP server that creates a DNS name for you, then you might end up with a computer name, as seen by systems using Reverse DNS lookup, as something like
dhcp-region-building-floor-nn-nn-nn-nn.company.dnsname.com

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Make a Mac's Computer Name the Same as it's OD Computer Record Name?

I heard someone mention that its possible (at least in 10.5 server) to make a Mac's Computer name become exactly as its OD Computer Record name is (at the time of binding). I assume this would be a setting in Server Admin/OD or in WGM perhaps. I cant find the setting. Can you locate it for me?
Im running a test Leopard OD master in Advanced mode on an Xserve Xeon.

OK, let me give you a similar scenario regarding computer record names.
I had previously setup OD to set computer names based the computer record name once the Macs were bound to OD.
I decided later that that naming scheme will not work (I need the computer (host) name and the OD computer record name to be different for logisitical reasons - long story). I unbound my OD clients and trash all LDAP settings to start over from scratch. One problem:
I cant for the life of me find that checkbox on my OD server to disable that setting. I have looked everywhere. I check WGM and Server Admin too. The post you made earlier doesn't look like the steps I took to setup the option to force the computer name from the record name. I simply checked a box. I also did enable authenticated binding either.
I have a test OD lab right now. None of the servers and clients are in production, so I have the luxury of experimenting a little before we go live in Q1 2008.

Mac Terminal: computer name replaced with "virus"

Hi, I'm having an issue where, in my Mac terminal, the space where the computer name is shown is instead replaced with the word "virus".
virus:~<username>$
Additionally, my internet connection either works terribly or not at all, and this only seems to happen at night. I have no idea what's going on, but maybe somebody can shed some light on this?

The most plausible explanation is that someone with access to your computer is messing with you. There's a number of ways of changing the computer's name shown at the command prompt (at least one doesn't involve touching your computer at all):
1. If your computer is given a name by the DHCP server (your Internet gateway, or whatever you are using), an individual can modify the name that the DHCP service gives your computer and your computer will simply adopt that name when receives its IP address assignment. (Doesn't require access to your computer.)
2. If your computer didn't get assigned a host name by DHCP, then the system will do a reverse DNS lookup on the IP address it gets. If the DNS server (or /etc/hosts) returns 'virus' as the host name for that IP address, then your system will use that name. (Doesn't require access to your computer.)
3. If neither of the first two things happened, the system will use the name you set in the Sharing pane of System Preferences. (Someone can set this by simply walking up to your computer and setting it, or by logging in with an admin account and editing /Library/Preference/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist).
4. Someone could also edit the default prompt used by bash. The environment variable PS1 contains the prompt template string, the default being PS1='\h:\W \u\$ ' -- the '\h' means host name. You can do
'echo $PS1' to see if it's set this way. PS1 can be set in /etc/profile, /etc/bashrc, ~/.profile, and ~/.bashrc
There's a couple of other possibilities if you are integrating with Active Directory or Open Directory

Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name serious?

Hallo, and hope this email finds you in good health, please could someone clarify whether or not this is anything to worry about. It has been going on for 6 weeks now and I get about 50 to a 70 a day:
Dec 12 01:21:15 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name; using default “Macintosh-000000000000” instead
Dec 12 01:21:15 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified local hostname; using default “Macintosh-000000000000.local” instead
Dec 12 01:31:15 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name; using default “Macintosh-000000000000” instead
Dec 12 01:31:15 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified local hostname; using default “Macintosh-000000000000.local” instead
Dec 12 01:31:17 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name; using default “Macintosh-0017F2D20187” instead
Dec 12 01:31:17 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified local hostname; using default “Macintosh-0017F2D20187.local” instead
Dec 12 01:31:20 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name; using default “Macintosh-0017F2D20187” instead
Dec 12 01:31:20 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified local hostname; using default “Macintosh-0017F2D20187.local” instead
Any problem here?
Thankyou.

Hi
Not really. Although it may be an indication of a confused/corrupted property list. Probably one of the plists in /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration. If it bothers you re-assign the mac the Computer Name you think it should have? This is done from the Sharing Preferences Pane. Alternatively you could use the command line. Something like:
sudo scutil --set ComputerName thenameyouwant
There must be a password set for the local admin account for sudo to work. You won't see the password being typed.
Alternatively and assuming this is a single mac that's not part of an LDAP environment or has no Location settings or has nothing special in terms of network configurations, you could move all of the property lists in /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration to an untitled folder you create on your Desktop and restart afterwards. On successful login apply a desired Computer Name using the Sharing Preferences Pane.
Tony

Looking for my computer name and mac address. Where do i find them?

I think this should be straightforward. Where would I find my Mac Address and name of my computer? I want to tether with my phone and need to give my phone this info.
Thanks in Advance.
Deb

Your Computer Name is found in the Sharing preferences at the top. For your MAC address open Network preferences, select your desired port such as Wireless then click on the Advanced button. Click on the Hardware tab. You will find it there.

Computer names persistently associated with a MAC address causing problems

Our WDS server will assign out a computer name like CompanyName### This is great.
The problem is sometimes WDS will assign a computer name that is getting associated with the MAC address somehow--I assume this is what's happening--and kick a computer off the domain that now has that computer name.
Is there some way I can disable the association of computer names with MAC addresses, or persistent computer names?

Hi,
How did you define your naming policy in WDS or in your answer file?
3.1.1.4 Machine Naming Policy
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd871418.aspx
Please also check this hotfix:
Windows Deployment Services generates duplicate client computer names when the %MAC variable is used
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957051
Hope this helps.

In finder under places, my mac does displays "macuser", how do I change it to my name/computer name?

In finder under places, my mac does displays "macuser", how do I change it to my name/computer name?

Here are the instructions from Apple on changing the user short name or home directory name. I've used this on a couple of used MacBooks I've bought on eBay.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1428

Mac takes windows computer name

my macbook is the only mac in a windows network at my office. somehow my macbook has taken the name of a windows computer on the network. in finder-network-server the name that show up is the name of a windows computer but if i click on it, it shows the contents of my macbook harddrive. I have tried many times to change my computer name in system preferenceses and it makes now\ difference. In the Sharing preference panel it say other users can acces my computer at afp://d530-ss.mydomain.com or browse for menegroth. d530-ss is the name of the other windows computer, menegroth is the name i gave to the mac. i've change the computer name and changed the localhost name by pressing edit. The computer name stays the same, being the windows name, even when i take my macbook home and connect it to my all mac home network. is this and issue with the dns server at my work nerwork. I work for a small company and i'm basically the it department, not my main job, so any help would be great. the file server is a windows 2000 server

Start with http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=4447051 and then do a search in these forums for computer AND name. You should find an answer amongst those.

MDT Database - Auto Computer Name Using MAC Address

I am trying to build a MDT server which will auto name any computer by using the MAC Address of the Network Card, I have read lots of articles and there isn't a definitive answer but I am looking for a simple answer which will work. I have tried all sorts
of things customising the Customsettings.ini and the unattend.ini and the database.
These are the settings I am looking at .
Can anyone please advise me how to get MDT to query the database and output the computer name using one of these variables.
%OSDComputername%
%Computername%
Can you please help.

Hi Walkermescc,
Since it is related to SQL database, our help might be limited. I suggest you refer to this article and it might be helpful.
http://blogs.technet.com/b/deploymentguys/archive/2011/08/05/dynamic-computer-naming-in-zti-deployments-using-mdt-and-configmgr.aspx
If you need more support about MDT and Database, you could post your issue to the MDT forum and there might be more suggestion for you.
MDT server forum:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/home?forum=mdt
Regards

Computer name keeps changing to [myname]'s mac (2)

I change it manually to [myname]'s mac. but few days later the "(2)" keeps appearing. I know its not a "problem", but I don't understand why that happens.

Mine does the same thing. I have also seen others mention the issue as well.
I think that it has to do with your iMac and your router not interfacing correctly. It seems to occur when the Mac wakes up and asks the router for an IP through DHCP and the router has not forgotten the Mac's last IP. The router tells the Mac that another device is using that name and so the Mac alters its name to obtain an IP.
Dah•veed

I bought a new laptop with Windows 7. My computer name in Windows has changed, and now, my Ipad can't find Itunes

I bought a new laptop with Windows 7. My computer name in Windows has changed, and now, my Ipad can't find Itunes, and Itunes can't find my Ipad. [email protected]

Ok, if reinstalling iTunes as suggested above does not resolve the issue of iTunes recognising the iPad then try this -
Firstly, make sure that your device is not hidden (left hand pane). If it just reads device then toggle between SHOW and HIDE.
Secondly, try all the other ports on your computer, even a number of times.
Thirdly, make sure your lead /connections are no faulty.
Fourthly, if you have another computer try plugging your device into it without taking any action, give it a moment, remove it and try it back in your other computer again.
Failing all that, see here - http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1538
And failing all that put the device into Recovery mode. See here and note the paragraph 'If you restore from a different computer.... ' down near the bottom of the page -
http://www.apple.com/support/ipad/assistant/itunes/
As for making your new laptop your 'home computer' follow these instructions -
1. Without connecting your iPad to your computer -
A) Install iTunes / make sure the latest version of iTunes is installed.
B) Go to the Store tab and click on "Authorise This Computer".
C) Go to Edit, click on Preferences [iTunes and Preferences on Macs] and click on Devices. Put a check mark in the box next to "Prevent iPods/iPhones/iPads from syncing automatically". Click OK and close iTunes.
2. Connect your iPad to your computer -
A) Start iTunes (it will not start automatically because of the action at 1(C) above).
B) Right click on your iPad under Devices in the left column. Select "Transfer purchases".
C) When the transfer has completed, right click on your iPad again and select "Backup".
D) When the backup has completed, left click on your iPad, click on the Apps tab, and put a check mark in the box next to "Sync Apps", and then click on "Apply" (bottom right).
E) Unless you want to always do a manual sync (as I do), go back to Edit, Preferences [iTunes and Preferences on Macs] and uncheck the box next to "Prevent your iPod.....".
F) Finally, on your iPad, check that everything is syncing properly. If not, go back to iTunes and check all settings.
NB You should not lose any apps. However, any 'purchased' missing apps can be downloaded again FOC. As with updates, this must be done with the Apple ID under which they were originally 'purchased'.
Also see here as to moving your music to your new computer -
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4527

I have a new Mac Pro computer and have migrated my files from my older computer to the new computer. In trying to open a Lightroom catalog on an external hard drive I keep on getting the message "lightroom cannot use the catalog named " " because it is

I have a new Mac Pro computer and have migrated my files from my older computer to the new computer. In trying to open a Lightroom catalog on an external hard drive I keep on getting the message "lightroom cannot use the catalog named " " because it is not writable and cannot be opened. I have fixed all the "permissions" and yet it will still not open. How do I fix this?

Hello Forum Members,
I figured it out. You have to select the actual logo of the Lightroom catalog and then click on "get info" and allow what ever your new user name to "read and write". That worked!
Henri Silberman

New intel mac show old name

The name of my Mac is still being showen as “Tom Reed's G5" in my profiler. I changed the name a week ago to reflect the new computer. It was right for a few days. I just noticed it went back to the older name. Can I fix this somehow?

The computer name. Please see http://www.tjreed.com/ss.jpg for a screen shot of what I mean. Under the name of powermac g5, it is being referred to the Mac pro etc.

Error connecting, tap to retry, it sees my WiFi and computer name but can't connect

Hi all, I am trying to get Edge Inspect to work on my Windows 7 PC (it did work for me a few times when I had it installed as Shadow when it initally came out)
I have read through various forum posts. I am also running Mcafee Virusscan/Firewall.
In Google Chrome I have the extension installed at the little "In" symbol top right, when I click it it says Adobe Edge Inspect "On", please start the Adobe Edge Inspect Application.
I open up the lastest version of Edge Inspect (v1.0.393) on either my iPhone or iPad, it shows the name of my WiFi router and shows the name of the computer that is running Google Chrome, it looks like it is searching for a connection (shows spinner) and then it says "Error connecting, tap to retry".
I have opened up port 7682 in my Mcafee Firewall
I have shutdown all open programs
I have tried manually entering in the computer IP address via manual connect
I have updated chrome extension and ios apps to latest version
I have tried reinstalling chrome extension
I have tried at Windows Command prompt "netstat -ano" it doesnt show port 7682 being used, until I open up Google Chrome, then it shows MYCOMPUTER:7682 SYN_SENT, which I checked the PID against and yes it is Google Chrome using 7682
Any help would be great

Hi again Mark, still no luck here.
I also have a Mac in my network so I thought I'd try installing to that to see what would happen, I just installed Adobe Edge Inspect extension onto Google Chrome on that machine and restarted the iOS apps on both iPad and iPhone and they actually didnt see the Mac machine at all, still just shows the PC computer.
Also did I mention on my iPad I can still see the last time the connection actually worked (when it was called Adobe shadow, on my iPad underneath MYCOMPUTERNAME Error Connecting, tap to retry it has MYCOMPUTERNAME Last Used 24/07/12 8:59PM). Wouldnt have anything to do with a conflict with the old Adobe Shadow or anything would it, I'm pretty sure Adobe Shadow got uninstalled by default anyway, just a thought.
So I'm not sure if it can be a problem with the Router because nothing has changed with the router since the last time it successfully worked when it was Shadow? I did add the Mac machine to the network since this time, but that machine hasnt been on when I have been doing any of this testing anyway.
Also in the Edge Inspect in the Chrome browser I do not see any deviced listed, but back on the iOS App I do see the Wifi network and Computer name as discussed, so does this mean its an inbound connection issue or?
Also sent you router settings via private message etc.

Computer name and local hostname not recognized at startup

I've been having trouble syncing with .mac lately. (This isn't syncing question.) Looking at my console and system logs, it would appear that my computer and network connection have a problem right from the start (except that I can connect to the Internet and can send and receive mail no problem). But I think the logs below indicate that there's some disconnect because later on, when I try to sync or do something with iDisk, "Failed to register NSConnection" and SFIDiskMirrorCopyPair returned NULL" appear in the console log. Here's some of what the logs showed. I was wondering if anyone out there can make heads or tails out of it. Wondering if I'll have to blow it up and do an archive and install.
Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks, Bill
From my system log:
Feb 5 10:01:20 localhost SystemStarter[337]: authentication service (351) did not complete successfully
later it states ....
Feb 5 10:02:04 localhost loginwindow[116]: Login Window Started Security Agent
Feb 5 10:02:07 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name; using default “Macintosh-123A95Dxxxxxx” instead
Feb 5 10:02:07 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified local hostname; using default “Macintosh-123A95Dxxxxxx.local” instead
Feb 5 10:02:08 localhost mDNSResponder: Adding browse domain local.
Feb 5 10:02:51 localhost configd[74]: SecKeychainFindGenericPassword err= -25308 ( =0xffff8624, secErrStr=User interaction is not allowed. ) (current= JohnDoe)
Feb 5 10:02:53 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name; using default “Macintosh-123A95Dxxxxxx” instead
Feb 5 10:02:53 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified local hostname; using default “Macintosh-123A95Dxxxxxx.local” instead
Feb 5 10:02:54 localhost launchd: Server 0 in bootstrap 1013 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[86]: exited abnormally: Hangup
Feb 5 10:02:54 localhost configd[74]: executing /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Contents/Resources/enable-net work
Feb 5 10:02:54 localhost configd[74]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Feb 5 10:02:54 localhost lookupd[216]: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Mon Feb 5 10:02:54 2007
Feb 5 10:02:56 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified Computer Name; using default “Macintosh-123A95Dxxxxxx” instead
Feb 5 10:02:56 localhost mDNSResponder: Couldn't read user-specified local hostname; using default “Macintosh-123A95Dxxxxxx.local” instead
Feb 5 10:02:56 localhost configd[74]: target=enable-network: disabled

Thank you for helping me. My computer is very old and it gets a lot of non-taxing use, like email and word processing. I'm trying to get another year out of it before I replace it. I first had to reset the PRAM because I had full-on freeze a couple of months ago. I couldn't get the computer to respond at all. Apple Support helped. They had me reset the PRAM, but the reason I've been resetting it now and again is that it seemed to fix a problem I was having with audio. When I am using Skype, Facetime or Gchat there was a crackling sound so loud, I'd have to hang up. Resetting the PRAM seemed to take care of this. I read around a little on the Internet. There was some suggestion that maybe my logic board is failing, at which point I would really have to replace my computer. But I was hoping for some pointers about this keyboard. I spent a couple of days reading and didn't find anyone having quite my problem. I guess it wouldn't really be such a problem if I didn't have this audio problem as well.

A Mac's computer name

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