Setup guide · from scratch
How machines get their names (auto serial names + the first-logon rename pop-up)
One stick names many machines: the profile's device prefix becomes a pattern like JAY-{SERIAL} and each machine fills in its own BIOS serial number. At first logon a pop-up lets you swap that for the printed-label name (e.g. JAY624) - or cancel to keep the auto name. Sequential auto-numbering is a coming-soon design.
≈ 5 min
Windows — Autopilot & USB provisioning · step 6 of 12 · ≈ 5 min‹ PreviousNext ›
Do these first — this guide assumes you already have:
- A Decolla profile with a device prefix set.
The Decolla way — skip the clicks.
Every step below can be done by hand. Or connect your Microsoft tenant to Decolla once, and Decolla performs this for you over Microsoft Graph in your own tenant — then hands back a verified result you can see and roll back per item. It also puts the fundamentals this step depends on in place — the target group, the licence allocation — so a build is never blocked half-way by a missing dependency.
⏱ By hand: about 5 min of clicking, every build. The Decolla way: part of one tenant connect, then automatic.
Before you start
- Your cockpit profile open, to set or check the device prefix (leave it blank and machines fall back to DECOLLA).
- The printed-label names for the batch, if you name machines by sticker (e.g. JAY624).
- For an Autopilot-prep build, your Autopilot profile's naming template - the first-logon pop-up is skipped in that mode.
The steps
- Set the device prefix in your cockpit profile (e.g. JAY). The build config the…
- How the pattern expands: on each machine, {SERIAL} is replaced with that machine's…
- Names are kept Windows-safe automatically: only letters, digits and hyphens,…
- When the name applies: provisioning registers the new name during setup, but it…
- At FIRST LOGON a Decolla pop-up appears, pre-filled with the auto name. If your…
- The pop-up checks what you type (1-15 letters, digits or hyphens) and then offers…
- Autopilot-prep sticks skip ALL of this on purpose: in that mode Autopilot/Intune…
- Coming soon (honest status): sequential auto-numbering (JAY-001, JAY-002...) is…
0 of 8 done
Step 1. Set the device prefix in your cockpit profile (e.g. JAY). The build config the stick carries turns it into the naming pattern <PREFIX>-{SERIAL}; with no prefix set it falls back to DECOLLA.
Screenshot: The profile's device prefix field + the pattern in the downloaded build config (captured during a live customer build — coming to this page)
Why: The prefix is what makes a whole fleet recognisable at a glance - set once in the profile, every stick built from it inherits the <PREFIX>-{SERIAL} pattern.
Watch for: Leave the prefix blank and every machine names itself DECOLLA-{serial} - harmless on one box, confusing across a fleet.
Don’t: Do NOT try to spell out the whole name in the prefix - the serial is appended for you, and an over-long prefix gets trimmed (step 3).
Step 2. How the pattern expands: on each machine, {SERIAL} is replaced with that machine's own BIOS serial number (punctuation stripped) - so ONE stick names a whole batch, each uniquely. If a serial cannot be read, a random 6-character code stands in.
Screenshot: The provisioning log line 'Rename computer -> JAY-<serial>' (captured during a live customer build — coming to this page)
Why: This is what lets one stick name a whole batch with nothing edited per machine - each device reads its own BIOS serial.
Watch for: If a serial is blank or unreadable you get a random 6-character code, not a serial - your cue to name that machine by hand at the pop-up.
Step 3. Names are kept Windows-safe automatically: only letters, digits and hyphens, trimmed to 15 characters (the Windows computer-name limit).
Screenshot: A long prefix+serial trimmed to 15 characters in the log (captured during a live customer build — coming to this page)
Why: 15 characters is the hard Windows computer-name limit - Decolla trims to it so the name is always valid and never rejected by Setup.
Watch for: A long prefix eats the budget: PREFIX + hyphen + serial is silently cut at 15, so machines with similar serials can end up colliding. Keep the prefix short.
Don’t: Do NOT count on the tail of a long serial to make names unique - the tail is exactly the part that gets trimmed.
Step 4. When the name applies: provisioning registers the new name during setup, but it takes effect AT THE AUTOMATIC REBOOT at the end - the log reports both the registered name and that it applies at the restart.
Screenshot: The 'Name registered for next boot' log line (captured during a live customer build — coming to this page)
Why: Registering the name and applying it are two separate moments - the automatic reboot at the end is what actually commits it.
Watch for: Between registration and that reboot the machine still shows its placeholder name - don't panic if an early glance looks wrong.
Don’t: Do NOT force your own reboot first - the name is applied by that specific end-of-build restart.
Step 5. At FIRST LOGON a Decolla pop-up appears, pre-filled with the auto name. If your fleet uses printed labels, type the label name (e.g. JAY624); press Cancel to keep the auto serial name.
Screenshot: The first-logon 'Decolla - machine name' pop-up pre-filled with the auto name (captured during a live customer build — coming to this page)
Why: This is the one moment you can swap the automatic serial name for a human-friendly label - the box is pre-filled, so doing nothing keeps the serial name.
Watch for: Cancel does not abandon naming - it keeps the auto serial name. It is the 'leave as-is' button, not an escape.
Step 6. The pop-up checks what you type (1-15 letters, digits or hyphens) and then offers to reboot straight away to apply the new name - say Yes unless you are mid-task.
Screenshot: The 'Renamed... Reboot now to apply?' confirmation (captured during a live customer build — coming to this page)
Why: The same 1-15 letters/digits/hyphens rule is enforced here, and the offered reboot is what commits the rename - so a typed name applies exactly like an auto one.
Watch for: Spaces, underscores or anything over 15 characters are rejected on the spot - it will not save an invalid name.
Don’t: Do NOT accept the reboot if you are mid-task on the machine - the rename waits quite happily for the next restart.
Step 7. Autopilot-prep sticks skip ALL of this on purpose: in that mode Autopilot/Intune owns the device name - set your naming template in the Autopilot profile instead.
Screenshot: The log line 'autopilot-prep: leaving device name + local accounts to Autopilot/Intune' (captured during a live customer build — coming to this page)
Why: In Autopilot-prep the cloud is the source of truth for identity, so naming is deliberately handed to the Autopilot profile - two systems naming one device would fight.
Watch for: You will never see the first-logon pop-up on an Autopilot-prep build - if you expected it, check which mode the stick was built in.
Don’t: Do NOT set a device prefix expecting it to name Autopilot-prep machines - it is ignored there; the Autopilot profile's template wins.
If this step errors: Autopilot device removed from group: reset loop fix
Step 8. Coming soon (honest status): sequential auto-numbering (JAY-001, JAY-002...) is designed but deliberately parked - real fleets name machines from printed labels, so the manual-first pop-up shipped first.
Screenshot: n/a - roadmap note (no screen yet) (captured during a live customer build — coming to this page)
Why: Explains why today's choice is serial-or-label, not 001/002 - sequential numbering is built but held back because label-naming is what real fleets use.
Watch for: Do not wait on sequential auto-numbering for a build today - it is not live yet; use the serial name or type the label at the pop-up.
If it goes wrong
The failures people actually hit on this process, each with the diagnosis and fix:
- Autopilot dynamic group lag: apps missing during ESP — Autopilot devices join dynamic groups minutes to hours late, so the ESP runs before apps are assigned. Why the ZTDId rule lags and how to fix it.
- Autopilot device removed from group: reset loop fix — Why Autopilot devices removed from their deployment group mid-enrolment fall into a reset loop or hang at 'Please wait', and how to prevent it.
‹ USB build speed: service the image once, every stick after is a fast copyUpload your own app (MSI/EXE) - install it via Intune, the USB stick, or both ›
See it on a real device.
Decolla is in private build — early-access members see a build defined, deployed and rolled back first.
Get early access