Something is adding tray): to computer names

[perrycj]

Some weird occurrence is happening in our environment. First off:

JSS 8.73, on a Mac Pro
Clients are a mix of 10.6.8 and 10.8.5 (issue isn't happening on Mavericks)
Our computer names are the computer's serial number

Randomly, it seems, tray): is being added to the computer names of some clients. Yesterday I cleared out 30 of them to bring the total down to about 40 and I wanted to see if it was continuing to happen or something that happen before and just never was noticed. It seems it is continuing to happen as the total went back up to 73 this morning.

I cleared them out by fixing the name in the JSS and then going through remote to reset computer names, which seems to work. It's just really annoying to do one by one when it's more than a few. It also seems some of the Macs I "fixed" yesterday, now have the tray): thing again in their computer name.

Has anyone seen this before in their environment or know a way to just take part of the computer name out, in this case "tray):"? Any help would be appreciated it.

[mm2270]

Wow, that's strange. Any correlation between policies that have run on these Macs and their names changing? There HAS to be something that's causing that to happen. They aren't renaming themselves :)

As for auto naming them back, probably with a scripted method, but I'd be more inclined to figure out what the heck is doing that in the first place and stop it.

[jacob_salmela]

I agree on finding out the root cause. But once you do, you could use a script to change the computer names back. Assuming the computer name (serial number) is twelve characters, you could do this:

#!/bin/bash
# Cut the fist twelve characters of the hostname, which is set the serial number
# This will leave off "tray):"
prefix=$(hostname | cut -c -12)

# Set the computer name to the 
scutil --set LocalHostName "$prefix"
scutil --set ComputerName "$prefix"
scutil --set HostName "$prefix"

# Update the record in the JSS
jamf recon

[perrycj]

Yes I agree. I believe, believe...it has something to do with DNS or from the networking side but I can't pin point it because it's SO random. Also, it seems these are ALL Mac Pros, pre-garbage can models.

[perrycj]

@mm2270 Forgot to answer you before. I'm in a new environment/job..but not that I know of. It's pretty standard stuff here. They just started showing up this past Monday. I'm almost convinced it's on the infrastructure/networking end but before I knock down their door, I wanna be sure.

[mm2270]

@perrycj - yeah, no worries. I have seen Macs many times before in varying environments pick up a totally wrong name from DNS based on the last IP assignment from DHCP, but its usually limited to the hostname and not the actual Computer Name. And even then its not appending information to the name; it usually changes the whole host name. I have never seen it only add a string like that.

Post back if/when you discover the root cause. I'm curious.

[perrycj]

@mm2270 I will, for sure. It doesn't affect anything..it's just wrong and bothering me ha. It's also weird that it's only Mac Pros. But yea I will once I find out what is happening.

[perrycj · Accepted solution]

Turns out it was the last printer driver software update from Apple (May-June 2014). It only affected Mac Pro 4,1's and Mac Pro 5,1's. No other model. So odd. Changing the name in the JSS and then reset the name through casper remote solves it and it doesn't come back.