Cannot really rename user

[Ike]

I bouth a new laptop with XP hom installed. Aside from "Guest," it had one
other user created, the admiistrator, with a username of Sam. It was a
display model at a retail store.

Ive gone in under control panel - user accounts, and changed the username to
my name (ike white) and it all appears to be changed. However, when the
login screen comes up, after you move the mouse from the screensaver being
on, it says "Only TOSHIBA-USER\Sam (Ike White) or an administrator can
unlock this computer"

Why is "Sam," still showing there and how can I get rid of that? I also
notice under \Documents and Settings that there are subfolders both for Ike
White AND one for Sam. Of course you cannot delete either of these.

So how do I purge Sam from this system? TIA - Ike

 

[Sergio]

Sam is the login corresponding to the username created, to change it try
this:
Rigth click my computer, go to manage, users and local grups, users, rigth
click Sam and change name.

 

[John John]

Create a NEW account for yourself then delete the other one. You will
be able to delete the folders associated with the old users after you
delete their accounts. Give yourself Administrator Privileges or have
at least another account with Administrator Priviledges for which you
have access (know the password). You don't want to lock yourself out of
the laptop if an Administrator account is needed.

John

 

[Ike]

When I click "manage" it doesn't have "users and local groups." -Ike

 

[Sharon F]

I bouth a new laptop with XP hom installed. Aside from "Guest," it had one
other user created, the admiistrator, with a username of Sam. It was a
display model at a retail store.

Ive gone in under control panel - user accounts, and changed the username to
my name (ike white) and it all appears to be changed. However, when the
login screen comes up, after you move the mouse from the screensaver being
on, it says "Only TOSHIBA-USER\Sam (Ike White) or an administrator can
unlock this computer"

Why is "Sam," still showing there and how can I get rid of that? I also
notice under \Documents and Settings that there are subfolders both for Ike
White AND one for Sam. Of course you cannot delete either of these.

So how do I purge Sam from this system? TIA - Ike

Do you hibernate the system? It sounds like you do. When the laptop returns
from hibernation, it would load Windows and then restore the user that was
active when the system went into hibernation. This could explain the
message of "Only <this user or an administrator> can unlock the computer."

Shutdown normally or log off and then shutdown. Then when you start the
system again, log on with the desired account.

User Account Folders trivia:
-When an account is created - its user folders are created the first time
that account logs on.

-When you rename an account, the displayed name changes but the name of the
underlying folders stays the same.

It sounds like you did not rename Sam but created a new "Ike" account since
you have both Ike and Sam folders. From here, use Control Panel> User
Accounts. Check that the new Ike account is indeed in the Administrator
group. If it is not, you need to log on with "Sam" to change Ike over to
the administrator group. Then, while logged on to the Ike account and using
the same screens (Control Panel> Users), remove the user Sam.

XP *should* ask if you want to save Sam's documents and place them into a
new folder for you. However, you may want to copy any files stored in the
Sam folders that you don't want to lose somewhere else just in case XP
doesn't take care of it as it should. Then remove Sam. XP will complete the
task and delete Sam's folders for you.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I bouth a new laptop with XP hom installed. Aside from "Guest," it had one
other user created, the admiistrator, with a username of Sam. It was a
display model at a retail store.

Ive gone in under control panel - user accounts, and changed the username to
my name (ike white) and it all appears to be changed. However, when the
login screen comes up, after you move the mouse from the screensaver being
on, it says "Only TOSHIBA-USER\Sam (Ike White) or an administrator can
unlock this computer"

Why is "Sam," still showing there and how can I get rid of that? I also
notice under \Documents and Settings that there are subfolders both for Ike
White AND one for Sam. Of course you cannot delete either of these.

So how do I purge Sam from this system? TIA - Ike

The user profile folders (C:\Documents and Settings\Username)
_cannot_ be renamed, even if the associated user account has been.
So, your best course of action would be to log on using the built-in
Administrator account, create a new user account, with the username
desired. You can then delete the old user account(s).

HOW TO Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279783

Once you've logged int o your new account, you can then delete the old one.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry

 

[Sharon F]

When I click "manage" it doesn't have "users and local groups." -Ike

That's because you have XP Home. Go to Control Panel> Users to manage user
accounts.

 

[Chuck]

A word to the wise-- If you buy a store display model, it's a very good idea
to do a reinstall of the software from (hopefully) an included restore CD or
partition. You can never tell what was done to the system from the software
standpoint. This also tells you if the restore package works correctly
before you are beyond the "take it back" option (if it is available to you).

 

[Bruce Chambers]

A word to the wise-- If you buy a store display model, it's a very good idea
to do a reinstall of the software from (hopefully) an included restore CD or
partition. You can never tell what was done to the system from the software
standpoint. This also tells you if the restore package works correctly
before you are beyond the "take it back" option (if it is available to you).

Very good points. Thanks for covering our overlooking them.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry