I have updated the hostname of my linux box; however, when i tried using samba connection from windows XP, the displayed samba hostname is still the previous hostname, please help.

restart the samba service as root try "service smbd restart" and then "service nbmd restart" without the quotes

Thanks, Mike but it did not help; anyway, I think I found a way to resolve this; it is not on the Linux part; it is on the windows part, if you check the registry, you will find the "cache" of used names. For reference, in the future, if anyone will experience a similar "problem" you might want to check the registry of windows, HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > Current Version > Explorer > Computer Description

You should not have to go in the registry at all. samba will broadcast the new hostname when you restart it. You did restart both smbd and nmbd?

What you would have maybe had to to is go under network connections again. Or try to map a drive again and then find the new name.