Change computer name

Overview

The Softdrive Console allows administrators to rename a computer (hostname) directly from the dashboard. This is useful for keeping environments organized, applying internal naming conventions, or identifying machines by user, department, or purpose.

Important: The computer name change will only take effect after the computer is restarted.

Prerequisites

Changing the computer name from the Softdrive Console is supported only for the following computer types:

• Standalone computers
• Workgroup-joined computers

This action is not supported for domain-joined computers or Entra Joined computers.

Domain Joined computers
Computers that are joined to a domain (such as Active Directory or hybrid environments) manage their computer name through domain policies and directory services.

Renaming a domain-joined computer outside of domain management tools can result in authentication issues, trust relationship errors, or Group Policy inconsistencies.

For domain-joined computers, hostname changes must be performed using your organization’s domain administration procedures.

Content

Follow these steps to change a computer name

1) Log in to the Softdrive Dashboard

• Open a web browser and go to:
  https://softnet.softdrive.co/
• Log in using your administrator credentials.

2) Locate the Computer

• Navigate to the Computers tab.
• Use the Search option to find the computer..
• Click the computer to open its Details page.
  

3) Open Change Hostname Settings

• On the Computer Details page, locate the Edit button on the top right hand side.
  

4) Change the hostname

4) Restart the computer to apply the change.

Best Practices

• Use clear and consistent naming conventions.
• Avoid spaces and special characters in computer names.
• Schedule the restart during a maintenance window to avoid interrupting users.
• Verify whether a computer is domain-joined before attempting to rename it.