When you change the machine name of a Sharepoint server in the wrong manner, Sharepoint gets very unhappy and becomes non-functional. The following steps are some I have used to get Sharepoint back on-line with the new server name. It can probably be streamlined as well – this is a decent starting point in my opinion.
Best Option
Assumes you can rename SharePoint BEFORE renaming the server.
- rename the SharePoint server using STSADM. (-o renameserver)
- rename the machine to match
- reboot
- users / logins will refer to old machine name. You can't change the account, so add the equivalent users back and set permissions. When I added the new one, it wired into the old name and updated that users info instead of actually adding New.
- In SCA (SharePoint Central Administration) update administrators where necessary.
Typical Option
Since site admins will often rename the server without checking with anyone, you have a bigger problem. Some or all of the following may be necessary.
- Servers renamed after SharePoint was installed will mean that SP probably won't even come up.
- Run STSADM using:
Stsadm.exe -o renameserver -oldservername <oldServerName> -newservername <newServerName>
(STSADM should have run ok, but SP will still not be happy.) - Now fix the Alternate Access Mappings (AAM) for the site in Central Administration with STSADM:
- stsadm -o addalternatedomain -url :http://<oldservername>:<CAport> -urlzone extranet -incomingurl :http://<newservername>:<CAport>
- You should be now able to get into CA to finish fixing the AAMs and correct the zone (setting the new name as default instead of extranet). Messed up site AAMs will prevent you from being able to log in.
- Once in SCA and update all admin and secondary admin logins to make sure they are all referring to the new box.
- Next bring up the root SP site. Should work ok now.
- The Index server may not be running, so start it. Give it a while and search. If you get results, you're ok.
- Check pages in site and nagivation links at top with / refs using default.aspx and not explicitly typing in the default.aspx page name. If these work, the AAMs are good.
- In the site, you may need to fix the logins that refer to the old machine name.
- SharePoint should be working again and you should be done.
—
Notes courtesy of D. Vineyard @ CSC, Fort Worth, Texas
rchakravarti
Right on! This post is a lifesaver.