Can't change the name of the mac

[Ben J.]

I just bought a used MBP. 2013 w/Catalina.
The last user had erased it and installed fresh with an account named 'user'.
I've created a new account with my name, linked it to my appleID account, deleted the 'user' account, and changed the name to 'Ben's MBP' in 'sharing' in system settings.

The MBP still shows as 'user's macbook pro' on my other devices.

Any thoughts?

 

[arw]

The name is set in several variables.
In Terminal paste:

sudo scutil --set HostName "Ben's MBP" && scutil --set LocalHostName "Ben's MBP"
&& scutil --set ComputerName "Ben's MBP"

then reboot

EDIT: correction: 'LocalHostName' mustn’t contain any other characters than letters, numbers and "-"

 

[Ben J.]

The name is set in several variables.
In Terminal paste:

sudo scutil --set HostName "Ben's MBP" && scutil --set LocalHostName "Ben's MBP"
&& scutil --set ComputerName "Ben's MBP"

then reboot

Thanks, arw.
That worked right away.
(I got a 'LocalHostName failed bad argument' or something, but it worked.
Thanks again.

 

[Grumpus]

(I got a 'LocalHostName failed bad argument' or something, but it worked.

Perhaps because of the apostrophe in "Ben's"

 

[arw]

Thanks, arw.
That worked right away.
(I got a 'LocalHostName failed bad argument' or something, but it worked.
Thanks again.

You’re right, when setting 'LocalHostName', this one mustn't contain an apostrophe or space (or any other special characters except "-").
I generally avoid special characters so I never noticed.
It is the .local Bonjour name (a.e. for Airdrop).
You can set it a.e. as:

sudo scutil --set LocalHostName "Bens-MBP"

 

[Ben J.]

Your right, when setting 'LocalHostName', this one mustn't contain an apostrophe or space (or any other special characters except "-").
I generally avoid special characters so I never noticed.
It is the .local Bonjour name (a.e. for Airdrop).
You can set it a.e. as:

sudo scutil --set LocalHostName "Bens-MBP"

Thanks again. That last command completed the rename - the old name is now gone everywhere. I tried it with a space after Ben, but that also resulted in ' failed argument'. But, all good.

 

[Gudi]

System Preferences > Sharing > Computer Name:
System Preferences > Sharing > Edit...
System Preferences > Network > Options... > WINS > NetBIOS-Name:

Should all work without the Terminal.

 

[Ben J.]

System Preferences > Sharing > Computer Name:
System Preferences > Sharing > Edit...
System Preferences > Network > Options... > WINS > NetBIOS-Name:

Should all work without the Terminal.

Had a quick check - it seems you're right.
Thanks.

 

[arw]

I always had it automated via script, but for the sake of completeness and future queries, these are the entries for Ventura:

System Preferences > General > Name
System Preferences > General > Sharing > Hostname > Edit (no special characters except "-")
System Preferences > Network > [AdapterName] > Details > WINS > NetBIOS name

 

[Ben J.]

…except - it's 'System Settings' now, finally some say.