Managed Computer Booted into Automation Shows Up as a New Computer

Products

• Ghost Solution Suite

Issue/Introduction

In your Ghost Solution Suite console you may assign a job or task to a computer that requires it to reboot into automation to complete the task.  When doing so you notice that the computer boots into automation without error but once there it shows up as a new computer with a different name under New Computers in the console.

You may look at the hardware properties of the computer that is managed and take note of the MAC address(s) shown.  You then should take note of the new computer's hardware properties and take note of the MAC address shown there.  Notice that the MAC address showing for the new computer, which is really the old managed computer, has a different MAC address that is not originally seen when the computer was booted into the operating system.  

Another hint for this issue is that you may be using a USB to Ethernet connector on the computer.

Environment

Ghost Solution Suite

Cause

MAC Address Pass-through

Resolution

DELL Latitude computers should have the MAC Address Pass-through (aka MAC Address Override) feature, which allows the same MAC address to be set for any connected USB network adapter. Please review how this option is configured on the affected machine. For details, please see What is MAC Address Pass-through  This issue could present itself on any hardware platform that is using a network device like what is described in this article.