Netboot problem: nonunique computer names

[Doctor Q]

We set up a classroom with iMacs (running Jaguar), each netbooting off a G4 server (running Jaguar server). Netbooting works, but each iMac ends up with the name "Administrator's computer" as the Computer Name. You see this on each iMac's login screen, in the Connect to Server window, and in Apple Remote Desktop. So there is no way to tell one iMac from another over the network.

The copy of Mac OS on each iMac's own disk was set up with a unique Computer Name in the Sharing preference pane before we set them to netboot. The netboot image on the server from which the iMacs are booting had another unique Computer Name when it was created, but that name never shows up either after the iMacs netboot.

I don't care what particular names the iMacs have, but they need to be unique or peer filesharing will be a hopeless endeavor. And the teacher can't control one iMac at a time without knowing which one is which and, currently, they all look the same in Apple Remote Desktop.

Does anybody know where we went wrong or how we can get each iMac to have a unique Computer Name?

 

[Rower_CPU]

Check out the last post in this Apple Discussion thread

 

[Doctor Q]

Thanks, Rower! I'll see if that solves the problem and let everyone here know. By the way, what did you search on to hit upon exactly the trick I needed?

 

[Rower_CPU]

I went to Apple's discussion boards under Networking & Server Discussions>OS X Server> NetBoot and NetInstall and searched around 'til I saw that.

It's a question that's been on my mind for any possible NetBooting here in our lab, and I was glad to find an answer for the both of us.

 

[Doctor Q]

I'll see if that solves the problem and let everyone here know.

Using ARDCompanion solved this problem, once we figured out that you have to delete ARDCompanion's local cache every time you are about to make a new netboot image.

Look at the date on my previous post. I was a bit slow to fulfill my promise to post about this, but at last I have done so!