In my case I need to work with computers on different domains and workgroups. My XP machine works properly. My Windows 7 Enterprise x64 machine didn't have an issue until I brought it into a domain. At that point I could not longer ping or RDP by hostname. After tracking it down it appears the all hostnames are appended with "whateverdomain.com". After researching some articles I focused on the registry setting "Computer\HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\services\Tcpip\Parameters". Under parameters is an entry for Domain that has the value "whateverdomain.com". If I blank this value and then release/renew the DHCP - everthing works as expected. Upon reboot this entry is re-inserted and the problem returns. It's as if the order for name resolution gets messed up once you join your computer to a domain and it skips the first step. Instead of first trying "hostname" against the DNS it goes straight to "hostname.whateverdomain.com". Also, If I bring up the VHD of the machine before joining the domain it works as expected.

Once you join the computer to the domain, the sysetm will automatically append the primary domain suffix if you do not provide a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN). If you have WINS in your environment and the rest of the domains participate, you can configure DNS to fall back on WINS for host names that it cannot locate. You can also just FQDN the host names when trying to ping or RDP. Also, you can configure the computer's NIC, TCP/IP settings, DNS tab to include other domain suffixes in the search order. Visit: anITKB.com, an IT Knowledge Base.

Well that confirms the behavior. Is there anyway to stop it? This is a laptop that moves from site to site and environment to environment. I don't always know the FQDN of host machines, especially if they're set up as a workgroup. All I need it to do is check before appending (like XP used to).

hmmm. If your computer is on a domain, and you plug it into someone else's network running workgroup, you should be OK, if the workgroup is on single segment. Your computer will resort to Netbios name resolution if host name resolution fails. You can remove the primary dns suffix from your computer, but if the DHCP server that negotiates the lease on the network you are on supplies option 015, it will add the domain suffix to that NIC. Since I do not know the exact situation you are facing, you can try this... Open the control panel--> system--> advanced settings --computer name tab --> change button --> more button --> uncheck "change primary dns suffix... & also clear the text box that contains the primary dns suffix. Overview regarding name resolution for windows: Microsoft Windows TCP/IP NetBIOS and Host Name Resolution http://www.anitkb.com/2010/08/microsoft-windows-tcpip-netbios-and.html Visit: anITKB.com, an IT Knowledge Base.

Well I was hopeful of your suggestion. Sadly, when I blank the text box, it won't let me save the setting. "The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted." For now I've written a batch file to silently clear the Domain parameter and then do the ipconfig /release & /renew.

With regard to your statement ""The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted.", I beleive you were on the wrong screen. On the computer name tab, you have to click the More button. Visit: anITKB.com, an IT Knowledge Base.

Yes, that's the screen I was on. It has the Primary DNS text box and a check box for "Change Primary DNS Suffix....". I can check/uncheck the check box and I can change/blank the text box. I can even hit "OK" on that screen. However, when you ok the underlying screen it will give that message and refuse to apply the change.

Not sure how you are going to get around this. Since Windows 2000, the preferred protocol has been TCP/IP and DNS for name resolution. The use of NetBIOS name (flat names) are on their way out. The Windows OS has been built to "help" users access resources by attempting to append one or more domain suffixes when NetBIOS names are used. You can validate this by taking a packet capture and you will clearly see your client attempting multiple queries to DNS before giving up on the host name resolution process. Visit: anITKB.com, an IT Knowledge Base.