Changing the owner / user name in XP

[DellHater]

Hi
I have just set up a PC for someone and they want (odd I know) to change the user name.
Guessing that all I need to do is add the new user and delete the existing one.
Just wondering about anyhting else which is specific to the existing user ? Registration of Office for example ?

Guessing I will have to venture into the registry for that one.

Thanks

 

[bigbadbet]

why don't you just rename them? surely easier than deleting existing user.


Tim
MCSA, A+, Network+, (damned Brit!).

 

[tlcscousin]

Setup a new user with the name they want and logon as the new user once. If using XP Pro restart in safe mode logon as administrator then show hidden files and copy the profile from the old user to the new user but DO NOT copy ntuser.dat or ntuser.ini or ntuser.log

Its a bit of a more involved workaround but that way the users name they want showing will be there and all software installed as the first user will be OK as well.

The only problem with renaming a user account is that when they use windows explorer they will see the documents and settings as having the old users name.

 

[IllogicallyLogical]

You can change the registered owner and organization of Windows by changing a couple of registry values.

Open the registry editor and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion

To change the name of the owner double click RegisteredOwner and change to the name of the new owner

To change the name of the organization double click RegisteredOrganization and change the name of the organization

Joey
A+, MCP

 

[linney]

283111 - Logon Name Does Not Match Name in Task Manager or Under Documents and Settings Folder

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283111&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

You also could delete this user and create a new one with the name you want. You should be able to make use of My Computer/ Properties/ Advanced/ User Profiles/ Settings to copy your username folder contents to a new username that is created.

See "To copy a user profile" in Help and Support.

811151 - How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811151&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH