Rename SharePoint server (MOSS 2007)

You can follow Mirjam's blog:
http://www.sharepointblogs.com/mirjam/archive/2007/08/06/renaming-a-moss-server.aspx
Renaming a MOSS Server
Renaming a MOSS server is meticulous job. If anything goes wrong along the way chances are that you need to reconfigure your whole MOSS environment.
Here are the steps to take, and the order in which to take them if you want to rename a server that has MOSS already installed and configured on it:
*** NOTE: Use only letters, digits and minus for the machine name (so no underscores), max 15 characters.
Change each alternate access mapping for your MOSS/WSS deployment in Central Administration:
Open Central Administration, "Operations" Tab, "Alternate access mappings" link
Modify each mapping item to reflect your newly chosen server name
Use stsadm.exe to invoke the "renameserver" command option:
Open a command prompt window
cd "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN"
stsadm -o renameserver -newservername -oldservername
Rename your Server via Change Name Operation in Windows Server 2003:
Start Menu Control Panel System, "Computer Name" tab, "Change" button.
Input your new server name
Reboot the server NOW.
After reboot, open command prompt
cd C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN
stsadm -o updatefarmcredentials -userlogin -password
iisreset /noforce
Check all application pool identities in IIS, update where the old machine name is still there.
If you already have a search index drop this, and rebuild it
Your server is now renamed.

But if you already rename the server before doing first step from the blog, you will not be able to access SP server administrator site and SSP sites configuration. So you will need to put old name in the HOST file and after that change alternative mapping according the blog. You can do second step from the blog, you do not need to do 4 and 5 steps (it is already done). And I did not do 6 step.
You need to enter index server name for SSP again.