Question on Changing Users..

[X X X X X X X]

Hi Gang.., I got a nice used Gateway laptop off of eBay a couple weeks
ago.., then after I cranked it up.., of course it already had Windows XP pro
installed (no problem).., but it had been installed with a user name I
didn't like. Now, I keep trying to change the "main" user name of "Owner"
over to another name.., but all that happens is, another "user" name gets
added. soooo, what I'd like to do is make sure I don't lose anything from
the 3 other users I have on there now.., and just move everything back to
"Owner", then get rid of the other users, and then finally change the
"Owner".., user name to a name I want..!! Any help is good.., Thanks

 

[Malke]

Hi Gang.., I got a nice used Gateway laptop off of eBay a couple weeks
ago.., then after I cranked it up.., of course it already had Windows XP pro
installed (no problem).., but it had been installed with a user name I
didn't like. Now, I keep trying to change the "main" user name of "Owner"
over to another name.., but all that happens is, another "user" name gets
added. soooo, what I'd like to do is make sure I don't lose anything from
the 3 other users I have on there now.., and just move everything back to
"Owner", then get rid of the other users, and then finally change the
"Owner".., user name to a name I want..!! Any help is good.., Thanks

You cannot simply change the name of a user account. You need to create
a new user account named as you wish and then copy the settings and data
from the old account to it. Doing this will not affect other user
accounts on the system. See instructions below. You must log into the
new account once before you can copy anything to it.

Copy a User Account - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=811151
HOW TO Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279783


Malke

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi Gang.., I got a nice used Gateway laptop off of eBay a couple weeks
ago.., then after I cranked it up.., of course it already had Windows XP pro
installed (no problem).., but it had been installed with a user name I
didn't like. Now, I keep trying to change the "main" user name of "Owner"
over to another name.., but all that happens is, another "user" name gets
added. soooo, what I'd like to do is make sure I don't lose anything from
the 3 other users I have on there now.., and just move everything back to
"Owner", then get rid of the other users, and then finally change the
"Owner".., user name to a name I want..!! Any help is good.., Thanks

Malke has already answered your question, but I'd like to add another
point:

If I bought a used computer, the first thing I would do with it would
be to reinstall the operating system cleanly. You have no idea how the
computer has been maintained, what has been installed incorrectly,
what is missing, what viruses and spyware there may be, etc. I
wouldn't want to live with somebody else's mistakes and problems,
possibility of kiddie porn, etc., and I wouldn't recommend that anyone
else do either.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi Gang.., I got a nice used Gateway laptop off of eBay a couple weeks
ago.., then after I cranked it up.., of course it already had Windows XP pro
installed (no problem).., but it had been installed with a user name I
didn't like. Now, I keep trying to change the "main" user name of "Owner"
over to another name.., but all that happens is, another "user" name gets
added. soooo, what I'd like to do is make sure I don't lose anything from
the 3 other users I have on there now.., and just move everything back to
"Owner", then get rid of the other users, and then finally change the
"Owner".., user name to a name I want..!! Any help is good.., Thanks

With second-hand computers, especially if acquired from strangers
but perhaps even if acquired from a family member or friend, your wisest
course of action would definitely be to format the hard drives and start
fresh. You don't want to get in trouble because the original owner may
have filled the hard drive with kiddie porn, or have problems because
the original owner downloaded/installed viruses or other malware.

To fix the "Registered to" information for WinNT/2K/XP, you can use
Start > Run > Regedit.exe to edit:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\RegisteredOwner

and:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
Version\RegisteredOrganization

How this will affect the name displayed in previously installed
applications will vary depending upon each individual program; some read
the registered owner information dynamically, while others read it only
during installation.

The user profile folders (C:\Documents and Settings\Username)
_cannot_ be renamed, without risky registry editing, 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. Once you've logged in using this
new account (and transfered any data you need to preserve, 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

How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811151


--

Bruce Chambers

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[X X X X X X X]

Geeez Ken.., give it a break..!! I got the computer, I'm happy with the
computer.., and I know I should'a, I should'a, and I should'a.., but I
didn't..okay..?! The gang here is doing just fine.., and thanks.
Now, go talk to your wife for awhile.., like you should'a..!!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Geeez Ken.., give it a break..!! I got the computer, I'm happy with the
computer.., and I know I should'a, I should'a, and I should'a.., but I
didn't..okay..?! The gang here is doing just fine.., and thanks.
Now, go talk to your wife for awhile.., like you should'a..!!

I gave you what I thought was excellent advice, and I still think it's
excellent advice. I gave you that advice to try to help you, not to
hurt you. But feel free to ignore it and do anything at all you want.
It's your computer.