Many times, we do wish to run multiple copies of a fully configured VHD with sharepoint installed. However, all the VHD's will have the same computer name and sharepoint would be installed with the computer name. It there would be a conflict, when in the same domain. I have listed down the steps below to resolve these conflicts:
1. Choose a name that you want to use for your computer(MYHOMEPC2). This name will be used for several steps during the renaming process.
2. Boot the MYHOMEPC VHD drive and login to your CURRENT domain.
3. Make sure you have a local administration user account. This will be used to login after you detach from the CURRENT domain and reboot your system.
4.Change the alternate access mapping for your Sharepoint deployment in SharePoint Central Administration.
a.Open Central Administration, "Operations" Tab, "Alternate access mappings" link.
b.Modify the any mapping items to reflect your newly chosen server name. Make sure you use the same port number. I changed http://MYHOMEPC:80 to http://MYHOMEPC2:80.
5. Use stsadm.exe to invoke the "renameserver" command option. Open a command prompt window and enter the following:
a. cd "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN"
b. stsadm -o renameserver -oldservername -newservername
Example: stsadm -o renameserver -oldservername "MYHOMEPC" -newservername "MYHOMEPC2"
6. Rename your computer via Change Name Operation:
a. Go to Start Menu Control Panel System, "Computer Name" tab, "Change" button.
b. Input your new server name. Example: MYHOMEPC2
c. Set the "Member of" To Workgroup and enter WORKGROUP for the workgroup. This will detach your computer from the domain.
7. Reboot the server and login using your local user account.
8. Go back into the Computer Name and change from the WORKGROUP back to the CURRENT Domain.
9. Reboot the system and login using the user domain account.
10. Open command prompt and enter the following:
> CD C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN
> stsadm -o updatefarmcredentials -userlogin -password
Example: stsadm -o updatefarmcredentials -userlogin "CURRENTDOMAIN\Rakeshg" -password "password"
12. Open command prompt and resart IIS.
> iisreset /noforce
13. Now try hitting http://MYHOMEPC (this is your first website).
14. Again register the machine in WORKGROUP and again registered the same in CURRENT Domain. This is just to make sure that the machine is registered with the CURRENT Domain.
15. Again perform an IISRESET.
16. GOTO central admin and check if all excel services are running properly.
17. Check if SSO is running properly. Also we have set the app pool identity to use CURRENTDOMAIN \Rakeshg instead of LOCAL or NETWORK.
18.Hit http://MYHOMEPC and http://MYHOMEPC2 and try browsing excel documents, with filters, just to make sure sharepoint is able to communicate with the analysis services and SSO is working properly.
