How to resolve TFS error appears because of client computer name change

This article may answer your following questions.

• How to resolve TFS error comes because of client computer name change?
• How to fix TFS workspace error appears because of computer name or system name change?
• How to fix the error “Workspace YourWorkspaceName; your name does not reside on this computer. If this computer was recently renamed, the workspace may be updated by running ‘tf workspaces/updateComputerName:oldComputerName’?

I was using a VM (WMware) where TFS was connected with workspace. At a certain point of time I had to change the computer name of my VM. For TFS it’s a client computer where Dynamics AX is installed. I didn’t realize that it will throw error because of computer name change. The error looks like as shown below.

Why this happens? When we configure our workspace in Visual Studio (VS) within VS or from Dynamics AX, VS stores the client computer name.

What is the workaround?

Option 1:

If you know in advance that TFS will throw error if client computer name has changed in that case follow the steps below:

1)      Go to Visual Studio (VS) and remove the workspace manually.

2)      Change the client computer name.

3)      Go to VS and create a workspace for your client computer with the new name.

Option 2:

If you are not aware of this issue that client computer name change will not work with your existing VS workspace in that case follow the steps below:

1)      Open the command prompt with run as administrator.

2)      Run the command “tf workspaces /updateComputerName:MyOldComputerName /s:[TFS URL]

Collection: [Use TFS Collection path e.g. tfsSysName.Domain.Com\TFS01]

The above command will replace the old client computer name with new one.

Leave your comments/feedback if this information was useful.