Renamed a guest VM and now I am getting an error when I try to start it:

error: Failed to start domain server1
error: Unable to read from monitor: Connection reset by peer

used the following procedure to rename:

1) virsh dumpxml server1 > server01.xml
2) edit server01.xml and changed the <Name> & path to img under <devices>
3) saved file
4) Renamed the image file to server01.img
5) virsh undefine server1
6) virsh define server01
7) virsh start server01

error: Failed to start domain server01
error: Unable to read from monitor: Connection reset by peer

...

and if you name it back to the original name, will it then start?

I don't think you can simply edit a file to rename a guest.
Google search supports that.
virsh edit <domainname> says http://www.0937686468.com/2012/05/so...read-from.html

Good Luck!

Well. I know that did not work ... looking for the reason why ... these were apparently older ways to do this. There was an actual option domrename at one point but it is either NOT available anymore or just not in my version.

Also, the "solution" used to rename came from a google search.