I found the solution in the following link http://www.cryer.co.uk/brian/sqlserver/replication_requires_actual_server_name.htm
thankful to Brian Cryer for his useful site
Quoting from the link to avoid link rot:
Cause:
This error has been observed on a server that had been renamed after the original installation of SQL Server, and where the SQL Server configuration function @@SERVERNAME
still returned the original name of the server. This can be confirmed by:
select @@SERVERNAME
go
This should return the name of the server. If it does not then follow the procedure below to correct it.
Remedy:
To resolve the problem the server name needs to be updated. Use the following:
sp_addserver 'real-server-name', LOCAL
if this gives an error complaining that the name already exists then use the following sequence:
sp_dropserver 'real-server-name'
go
sp_addserver 'real-server-name', LOCAL
go
If instead the error reported is 'There is already a local server.' then use the following sequence:
sp_dropserver old-server-name
go
sp_addserver real-server-name, LOCAL
go
Where the "old-server-name" is the name contained in the body of the original error.
Stop and restart SQL Server.
与恶龙缠斗过久,自身亦成为恶龙;凝视深渊过久,深渊将回以凝视…