Renaming My Computer, My Documents, and My Network Places Does Not Stick

R

Randal

Every time I rename My Computer, My Documents, and My Network Places
to something else (e. g., Randal's Main Brain, Documents, and Network
Places), the changes seem to stay for a while and then suddenly revert
back to the default names.

I've tried troubleshooting to see if they change after rebooting,
after going into standby, after going into hibernation, and/or after
logging off and going into a different user account. Frankly, I can't
detect a pattern. About the only thing I've noticed is that when I
have the computer come out of hibernation in the morning, they seem to
have changed. During the night I have different scheduled tasks run.

I see in the Registry where my new names are listed, but I can't
figure out why they revert back to the defaults.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Randal
 
K

Kelly

Hi Randal,

Where are you changing the names in the registry? There are two places.
Run the utility on line 200: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Also this one:

Save Settings on Exit (Line 54)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

To use the Regedit: Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it
and answer yes to the import prompt. REG files can be viewed in Notepad by
right clicking on the file and selecting Edit.
/xp_tweaks.htm

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm
 
R

Randal

Kelly:

I did both of the things you suggested: running the utility on line
200 and importing the .reg file on line 54. The utility changed the
names to what I wanted. Even after I restarted the computer, the
changes remained.

This morning, however, they were back to the defaults: My Computer, My
Documents, and My Network Places. It seems to be related to some of
the scheduled tasks that run overnight--_all_ the ones that open up a
command prompt and _some_ of the ones that open a regular executable.
(I verified this by right-clicking different scheduled tasks and
selecting Run.)

Any ideas on why this is happening? Do scheduled tasks reset
something? Very bizarre.

Thanks in advance.

Randal
 
R

Randal

b p:

How about not running the scheduled task one at a time and see if you
can figure out which one is causing it.
BTW which task are you running?

That's the strange thing. I have several tasks that use a command
prompt: to run defrag once a week, to add the date to the beginning of
backup files, etc. All the tasks that use the command line cause My
Computer, My Documents, and My Network Places to reset to the
defaults. I also have other tasks--virus scan, Ad-Aware, Symantec's
NDetect, etc; some of them cause My Computer, My Documents, and My
Network Places to revert, some don't. I can't really detect a pattern
here, either.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe the tasks--if any--that I
created _before_ I initially renamed My Computer are the ones causing
the reset. Maybe newer tasks--that is, those created _after_ I
initially renamed My Computer--do not cause the problem?

Does that make any sense?

Also, is there a .reg file I can create that I can import into the
Registry that will automatically change My Computer, My Documents, and
My Network Places to whatever names I want? That way I could set up a
new scheduled task that imports this file. This sounds like a
workaround, but I could live with it.

Thanks.

Randal
 
B

b p

b p:



That's the strange thing. I have several tasks that use a command
prompt: to run defrag once a week, to add the date to the beginning of
backup files, etc. All the tasks that use the command line cause My
Computer, My Documents, and My Network Places to reset to the
defaults. I also have other tasks--virus scan, Ad-Aware, Symantec's
NDetect, etc; some of them cause My Computer, My Documents, and My
Network Places to revert, some don't. I can't really detect a pattern
here, either.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe the tasks--if any--that I
created _before_ I initially renamed My Computer are the ones causing
the reset. Maybe newer tasks--that is, those created _after_ I
initially renamed My Computer--do not cause the problem?


Does that make any sense?
Wondering why you use command line?

I don't run scheduled task so don't really know how it works. But
when I did in the past I didn't need a command line
..
You're not running System restore by accident are you ?
Also, is there a .reg file I can create that I can import into the
Registry that will automatically change My Computer, My Documents, and
My Network Places to whatever names I want? That way I could set up a
new scheduled task that imports this file. This sounds like a
workaround, but I could live with it.

You could stop running the task or remove them one at a time and see
what happens. Good old process of elimination.
I already said that didn't I? Have you tried it?
 
R

Randal

b p:



Wondering why you use command line?

Because some programs can run automated only from the command line.
For example, I run defrag once a week during the night. If I were to
run the Windows interface version of it (dfrg.msc, I believe), it
would just sit there waiting for me to hit the Defrag button. But
using the command line, I can cause it to happen automatically.

I don't run scheduled task so don't really know how it works. But
when I did in the past I didn't need a command line
.
You're not running System restore by accident are you ?
No.

Any thoughts on how I could accomplish this? Does RegEdit has
command-line switches that allow for import of .reg files into the
Registry?

You could stop running the task or remove them one at a time and see
what happens. Good old process of elimination.
I already said that didn't I? Have you tried it?

Well, I've already tried that--somewhat, at least. That was what
caused me to notice that some scheduled tasks cause this problem and
some do not.

Thanks for all your help.

Randal
 

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