Renaming user name while keeping settings/files..

[GeorgePal]

I'm on a W2003 Server with 10 clients computers and when i first set the users up the usernames where all user1 to user10. However, i know want to give each user a unique username that identifies them (e.g. George, Nick ,etc instad of user1, user2).
I am renaming the username from the server, however i after cannot logon onto the PCs. Could you please tell me the procedure to change the username but keep all files, settings of the users without creating new users and folders.

Finally, i dont know if this fact has to do anything with the above question but in the client pc i am working now that i am loggin in as user3, there r the following folders in the C:\Documents and Settings folder:

Administrator
Administrator.PcName
Administrator.DomainName
Allusers
AllUsers.Windows
DefaultUser
Default User.Windows
user3
User3.DomainName

Are all of the above needed to be stored locally or may i remove some of the folders? Thanks in advance

 

[Stevehewitt]

You can change the logon name in Active Directory without changing the SID.
The difference is that Windows XP (or Win2k) does not use SID's for the local documents and settings folders. This means that although the user who has just logged in (under his new username) that user will not be able to see his old my documents as Windows XP has created a new local profile for him.
The only way around this is to manually copy the files over, or change the 'My Documents' path to "C:\Documents and Settings\oldusername\My Documents". You can do this in the properties of the My Documents icon.
You will have to be logged in as the user (as his new username) to do this.

Your second question I guess is about the fact that there are some user names repeated.
If you created user1 on domain1 and logon to the local machine, and the machine is part of domain1 then Windows XP will create your profile under 'user1'. However, if your SID changes (because the domain was removed and recreated, account deleted by created under the same name) Windows XP realises that you are not the same user and will create a new profile under that username again. But because this is still in use (user1) it cannot use user1 again. Therefore WinXP will create the folder/profile with the domain extension.

If the account is no longer used, you can delete it. However, you should go to the profiles windows (system properties) and remove the profile that way. From this screen you can also see when it was last modified. This is a good indication that the profile is no longer in use.
It's worth checking the contents of the folder first to see if there is any data in the my documents or desktop folders.
Also note that the Administrator.PcName, Administrator and Administrator.DomainName should be kept as they are, as should AllUsers and Default Users.
From looking at it, it seems that either the domain was removed and recreated a couple of times and/or the PC was renamed a couple of times and/or the PC was removed/rejoined the domain.

Hope this helps.

Steve.