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A peculiar oddity has recently started (I'm not exactly sure when or what might have caused this development) whereby my Device name (MacBookPro) in my Finder window has been changing from MacBookPro to MacBookPro (2) to MacBookPro (4) and now, MacBookPro (5). [I didn't actually see a "MacBookPro (3)," although the progression most likely did occur.]

Any ideas about the cause and fix?

The issue has been coming up for the last few days in MacInTouch's Yosemite Reader Report (click 'Next Page' at the bottom of this page for more recent entries), but it may have been around since Snow Leopard.

That has often happened to me. While I am not certain of the cause, I believe it has happened when a new OS is installed and the network router has assigned an IP address for the previous iteration of computer and OS. The new OS version attempts to "lease" an IP address and finds the name already in use and automatically adds the (n) to create a new unused identity.

Allow time (24 hours?) for the router to renew the IP address leases then — assuming Yosemite — go to System Preferences > Sharing and at the top of the window you will see Computer Name: and you can change the name there.

This issue has been the subject of ongoing discussion in Macintouch's ongoing Yosemite: Experiences thread.

From Tom C's post:


This explanation sounds plausible, but it's not the only one that's been offered.

Thanks for pointing me to that Sys Pref.

Just this AM, I found the Finder identifying my MacBookPro (after changing back to that name in the Sharing Pref) as MacBookPro (4). ...Other than doing SD clones and backups through TM, I hadn't made any changes to 10.10. So, I'm really wondering what's the cause. I've again used to Sharing Pref to edit the name back to MacBookPro. ...If this issue persists, it'll just get tiresome even though the correction is simple enough.

This is not a new problem with Yosemite.

The scenario is:

You give your computer a name, say "Slave". It starts using that name, and other devices on the network make note of it.

You restart your computer. It tries to re-register the name "Slave", but some device on the network says "There's already a device named Slave. You need to pick a new name." So the computer renames itself "Slave (2)", and other devices on the network make note of the new name.

Repeat.


The problem is that, when your computer asks "Is there anybody out there named '...'?", no other device should be saying "That's my name." But sometimes, especially if there's a network loop, your computer hears the question it just asked, doesn't realize it is itself the one asking, and responds (to itself) "Hey, that's my name."

The problem is more likely to occur if you have multiple network paths. For example, if your computer can see the router over both wired internet and WiFi. Or if your computer can see two routers over WiFi, and the routers can see each other.

Or it can happen because Bonjour's tables are out of step, and trying to re-register the name happens while the previously registered name is still in the process of being un-registered.

The "Is anybody using this name?" question will be broadcast repeatedly to the network. It has to be broadcast, because your computer doesn't know who it should be asking. It has to be repeated, because broadcasts are never acknowledged, so you don't know everyone heard the question the first time. Only after broadcasting the question several times and getting no answer will your computer start using the name. But packets sometimes get delayed, and the last query might finally come back to your computer after it has decided the name is safe to use. It thinks there's another computer trying to snatch the name it just snatched, and responds "I got it first."

Either way, it's not supposed to happen. It's kinda like hiccups. They're not supposed to happen either, but they do, and they're really annoying until the problem goes away, which it usually does on its own.

Trouble is, by the time the problem goes away, you're stuck with a name like "Slave (7)". You can reset the name back to "Slave" in the Sharing panel, but you can't be sure it won't happen again.

It might help to disconnect from the network, change the computer's name, and then re-connect to the network after a delay, to avoid timing loops.

Or it can happen because there really is another computer on your network named "MacBookPro". Try giving all your computers distinctive names. Be imaginative.

Yep, this is definitely my experience. My loft has both wireless and wired Net access, and I consistently and repeatably see this happen on every reboot if they're both on. It's been that way since at least Snow leopard, and probably earlier.

My MBP is principally connected via WiFi with no LAN connection. For big updates / upgrades, I will ethernet connect to my AirportExtreme, but when doing so, I turn WiFi Off. ...Would I still possibly be subject to the "multiple network paths" syndrome - MNPS for short - (even though the last time I ethernet connected to my AE, was doing the 10.10 back on Friday, 10/17 and the latest MNPS occurrence was just yesterday, 10/22)?

Also, regardless of how I'm connecting to my AE, my MBP always uses the same internal IP address as it's been specifically assigned in AE, in the Network tab (via DHCP & NAT - albeit the Computer Description is using "MacBookPro").



My MBP is the only Mac on my network. But regarding names, my MBP Startup Disk name (as shown in the Startup Disk Pref) is not called MacBookPro, which only appears in the Sharing Pref (as well as being used in the Computer Description in AE's Network tab). ...Should I edit (in those 2 aforementioned places) all to be the same as what I've named the Startup Disk?

Thanks for your assistance here, as it's very helpful.

Each disk volume has a name. Each computer has a name. These two kinds of names have nothing whatsoever to do with each other.

They even have different defaults. When you buy a new computer, it comes pre-configured with a single disk volume named "Macintosh HD" and hostname "<your name>'s <computer model>". To my mind, those are both rather silly names, and I immediately rename them both. It's confusing to have any two things with the same name, so every computer I have ever gotten has a different hostname, and every disk volume has a name that is different from all of those and different from any other disk volume on any of my computers. My WiFi router has its own name, different from all of those.

I generally choose those names so that related things have related names. For example, one of my computers is named "Zebra" (well, actually, its name is "siebtefuß", German for "seventh foot", because it's my seventh computer, but "Zebra" sounds vaguely like "siebte", but friendlier). The main disk volume is named "Veldt", because that's a big open space in the continent where Zebras can be found. My emergency boot volume on that computer is named "Savannah", also found in Africa and with a name suggestive of Savior. The common theme helps me remember which things go with which.)Movies, novels, and television series are fertile ground for themes. Time Machine volumes get names from time travel movies.

BTW: Your computer names and disk volume names are also used for TM backups. Not to fear. Time Machine is smart, and takes name changes for both completely in stride. If you've ever renamed a disk that TM is backing up, when you browse back through time you will see the name change at all the right times.


As for being the only computer on your network, I have to ask: Which network?

You have a portable computer. I assume you port it places. (Why pay the extra cost for portability if you're not going to use it? A desktop computer will give you much more bang for the buck if you don't mind the loss of portability.)

So, when you carry your MacBookPro into Starbucks, how many other computers in the same room have the same name? If you give it a generic name like "MacBookPro", it's going to rename itself pretty much any time you carry it into a place that has free WiFi.

Because my laptop pretty much disappears when I close the lid, unlike an iMac that would be an ever-present, obtrusive eyesore.

Macs are about aesthetics as well as functionality, and in my space, no Mac is the most aesthetic Mac.

Regarding Volume name compared to Hostname, which I assume is the same as what I've referenced as Computer Name, I take your point about naming them respectively something more unique. ...I believe my Volume Name to be pretty unique; so, I think it's just the "MacBookPro" Computer Name (Hostname) that needs renaming. ...Where is it best to start the renaming process? ...Sharing Pref and then, the Network Pref in AE? ...Is there another place the Computer Name needs to be edited?

I've only seen one other place where MacBookPro is shown, albeit it shows as "MACBOOKPRO" and that's in the WINS tab within Advanced within the Network Pref in Systems Prefs. And in this WINS tab, the name appears in the entry for NetBIOS Name; and off to the side of this entry, there's a notation that "MACBOOKPRO is currently being used." ...Should the WINS tab entry be edited?



Although I've had this MBP since mid-2010, I've been retired for 3 years now and I no longer carry this MBP to work and no longer join any other networks other than my home network, which has a very unique network name. Correct me if I'm wrong, but based upon your naming explanation and in relation to the network I'm generally on, it seems I should be Ok regarding the Volume Name and Network Name. ...Correct?

Subsequent to posting the above, I've completed a rename edit for my Computer Name in the Sharing Preference (doing so also did an auto update to the WINS tab mentioned above). I also edited the new Computer Name in the Wireless tab of my AE. ...I guess time will determine if this naming issue persists, unless I'm corrected on the assumptions which I've just proceeded in the Name edits.

I ought to mention that I've also updated my Devices at iTunes Store to correlate with the new Computer Name, as the previous "MacBookPro" was listed.

This morning (10/25), even though initially the new Computer Name was holding, I found that it had again changed in the Sharing Pref (& Network WINS tab as well) to New Name (2). I had not done any Restarts, all though I had yesterday without any renaming issue.

Is there something (AE or Network cache) that needs to be flushed? ...I'm comfortable in using Terminal if there's a command that clears whatever might be causing this renaming.

(As an aside, I do periodically use compatible versions of Cocktail to run Daily, Weekly, Monthly scripts, clearance of System & User caches, and clear log files under the Pilot tab.)

UPDATE: Now this renaming issue is persisting - After editing the new, Computer Name in Sharing Pref (where all Sharing is Off), I'm now seeing the Finder window, several seconds thereafter, rename it back to Computer Name (2).

I've even run Pilot in Cocktail, which runs those tasks mentioned above, and after a Restart, the issue persists. ...I also ran Cocktail's Corrupt Preferences search, and it did say that the Sharing Pref plist was corrupt. (I'm not sure about the accuracy of that report, but it had occurred to me that the Pref plist might be bad.)

Anyway and after deleting the Sharing Pref plist file, which Cocktail does right from the search - and find - window, editing the Sharing Pref back to the correct Computer Name, the Computer Name (2) is back, even though Cocktail no longer reports the Sharing Pref plist as corrupt. So for now, the Sharing Pref is the only place where I see the Computer Name (2) and can edit back to the correct, Computer Name.

I should also add my AE still shows my MBP (not the new name) as the new, Computer Name.

...I'm now at a total loss on what to next attempt. Any ideas?

Here's an observation I've just noticed, when using 10.10's Disk Utility v13, that I'll put forward for feedback.

In Disk Utility's disk window, the disk hierarchy name-detail shown for the computer's internal hard drive is different than what its typically been. I now see the top disk name (not sure of the correct technical description) and the volume name, which is set just underneath and indented, as both being the name I've given my Volume HD. (I must admit I don't recall observing what appeared in previous DU's under Mavericks or Mtn Lion.)

Since my Volume HD has the Sharing Pref, wherein the Computer Name is edited, might now the fact of the top name and Volume HD name being the same name, also cause the Computer Name, for the Volume HD, to show the "(2)" since the top name "shares" the same Volume HD name?

...I apologize for what might be an absurd proposition in the above question, but there's just got to be a reason this Computer Name issue has arisen. I'd really like to know if it's worrisome needing correction or it just makes for odd viewing of the Device Name in the Finder.

Disk names and computer names have nothing to do with each other.

I appreciate the reinforcement, of this point previously made, as it refocused my attention back to searching out the issue's real cause.

And, I've now resolved the cause of my Device renaming issue. ...As of this writing, the Sys Sharing Pref is correctly holding the Computer Name, both when I connect by LAN or by WiFi on my Network.

My issue's cause was a legacy setting in my AE Network setup whereby I had entered a DHCP Reservation to a specific Internal IP address so video conferencing calls, to my Public IP, were auto forwarded to a specific, Internal IP on my LAN. ...Once I deleted the AE's DHCP Reservations details (leaving the Router Mode set to "DHCP and NAT" -- my Sys Network remains set to DHCP), as well as unchecking both the NAT Mapping Protocol & Enable default host, the Computer Name now remains as entered in the Sys Sharing Pref.

10/27 Update: The issue has returned; so, I'm again at a loss about resolving. I really don't understand why the Computer Name was correct, for quite a long time after making changes to the AE settings, but has now changed, back to (2), when nothing is different today (other than the assigned, Internal IP associated today). Since the Sys Network Pref (under TCP/IP, Configure IPv4) is set to "Using DHCP," I thought it was expected that daily (after awaking from Sleep) my Computer Name would have a differently assigned Internal IP by the AE; but the Computer Name would remain consistent.

1/12/15 Update: Well, now my Device Name is staying with the correct, Device Name after I edited the Sharing Pref about 10 days ago when I deleted the " (3) " from the Device Name.
[The "3" was the device name count, for some reason, that was the most persistent over the timeframe I've been watching this issue.]

I'm curious to hear if this article over at ArsTechnica sheds light, in part, to the issues that's been described in this Thread, particularly in light that my correct, Device Name is still showing since my prior update.

DNS in OS X 10.10

Here's an interesting thought from John Gruber over at Daring Fireball...
Gruber's comment

The Ars-Technica article suggests the problem resulted from the replacement of mDNSresponder with discoveryd which did not take place until Yosemite. My problem with name-change/incrementation has been aggravating me since Mavericks, and maybe before that. I am not saying there aren't issues with discoveryd, but the name changing behavior was happening before discovery's entry onto the scene.

With my fingers crossed, I can say that my struggle with name iteration may be over — at least for the moment. The solution, if it was a solution, was accidental and involved one of two plausible causal events…

1. a five day trip out of town during which time, the only device on my WiFi network was the Airport Time Capsule that serves as my router. All other network devices were either powered down or 1,500 or so miles out of my WiFi range.
2. Just before we left I ordered a replacement for my wife's rather elderly Mac mini and in anticipation of the new machine took it down permanently. The new Mac mini did not come on line until after our return.

I can only theorize how the renaming issue could have been resolved by either event. Hopefully it will not recur and I will therefore be unable to determine whether either the two events or perhaps both solved the problem.