Join Domain and Rename Computer with PowerShell

   Below is a script that we use to join computers to a domain.  We use this as part of a task sequence in SCCM and feed a system name into the launching of the script.  We do not restart the computer using the script though - otherwise the task sequence would fail. 

Tested with Windows 7
Type: PowerShell 3.0 << Powershell 3.0 found here:
 http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34595

# Script Usage:

# <ScriptName.ps1 MyNewComputerName>

param

([Parameter(Position=0,mandatory=$true)]

[string]$newname) # Required Parameter, script will fail without it 
# === Set the Variables ===
$domain = "Domain"          # NETBIOS name of your domain
$DNSDomain = 'domain.local' # FQDN of your domain
$domainUserroot = 'ADUser'  # An AD user with permissions to join workstations to the domain
$domainpass = 'supersecret' # The password for the above user$domainUser = $domain+'\'+$domainUserroot $securePass = ConvertTo-SecureString –String $domainpass -AsPlainText –force $domaincred = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential` $domainUser,$securePass
$OU = "OU=Computers-Win7,DC=domain,DC=local" # Target OU
# === Start of Commands ===# Add the computer to the domain
Add-Computer -DomainName $dnsdomain -Credential $domaincred -OUPath $OU 
# Rename the Computer - Requires Domain Credentials
Rename-Computer -NewName $newname -DomainCredential $domaincred # Rename Computer

Restart-Computer # Reboot the Computer

A note about the password:  Due to the nature of PSH, passing credentials is rather difficult, especially if you want to encrypt them.  I found it easier to create an AD user and lock that user account down so that it is allowed to join workstations to the specific container, rather than the former.