Rename a stand-alone server (WSS 3.0)

I am referring to this article on TechNet, but where you’ve already renamed your server (like when you’ve cloned a VM) and you are unable to connect to SharePoint.

In this case you will be unable to follow the steps in the above article due to the fact that SharePoint cannot access the database.  What I did to get around this problem was the following:

1. Create a SQL Alias to the old database
2. Set the protocol on my Alias to Named Pipes
3. Change the order of my protocols so that Named Pipes is before TCP/IP
4. Perform an IISRESET /noforce
5. Follow the TechNet article and you’re in business
6. Delete the Alias and change protocol order back to original configuration
7. Reboot your server