Beware: Win 11 Setup Allows Creation of Invalid System Name

Just noticed that the GUI during Windows installation allows you to create an invalid system name. The ability to name the system during setup is new and apparently not fully debugged yet. Supposedly an underscore is invalid in a system name, but I was able to create a name such as "Win11_VM1". Note that after setup, you can rename it to something else and then an underscore will not be accepted.

Just thought I would mention it in case anyone names a system with an underscore and then has difficulties. Have not verified but my guess is that maybe names with underscores are not valid when trying to access a machine over the network.

hsehestedt said:

Supposedly an underscore is invalid in a system name, but I was able to create a name such as "Win11_VM1"

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The use of an underscore is perfectly valid in a NetBIOS name, but is not a valid DNS name. So it is allowed in a computer's name, but MS recommend not to use it.

I had an underscore in one of my PC's names for years, first set when it was running W7 and carried over into its W10 upgrade (changed to a '-' now). Didn't cause any problems on my local network, but then I never tried to access it remotely from the web.

Microsoft said:

NetBIOS computer names can contain all alphanumeric characters except for the extended characters that are listed in Disallowed characters. Names can contain a period, but names can't start with a period....
...DNS names can contain only alphabetical characters (A-Z), numeric characters (0-9), the minus sign (-), and the period (.). Period characters are allowed only when they are used to delimit the components of domain style names....
....Avoid the use of underscores (_) in domain names. Applications might be very RFC obedient and reject the name, and will not install or work in your domain.....

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And how did I end up with a non-standard name? Well you are allowed to (with a warning) in Windows 7/8/10/11 if you do it through the Control Panel.

Thanks, Bree. It just would be nice if they were consistent in their application of rules.

hsehestedt said:

Thanks, Bree. It just would be nice if they were consistent in their application of rules.

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Wait, a minute, wait a minute, let me catch my breath.

Whoo, OK.

Click to expand...

You *do* realize what you just asked for and whom you asked it of, right?



Oh, gosh. I needed that. I quite literally fell out of my chair upon reading that.

johnlgalt said:

Oh, gosh. I needed that. I quite literally fell out of my chair upon reading that.

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Ease up on the heavy stuff, John.

I can't control what I read that others post - because I don't know what part is gonna trigger another laughing attack....

Although, technically, that comment wasn't heavy at all. Maybe I need to ease up on (reading) the flippant commentary?

Maybe my expectations are too high. For example, how many years should I expect it to take to transfer over all the Control Panel bits so we have one consistent place to go for everything?

I know, you can stop laughing now.

No, I can't. I really can't!

<BREATHE>