Renaming user account _and_ document root

[oceanclub]

Initally when I created a user account on my XP machine, I used a space
in the name. Realising this would cause problems later, I changed the
user account name through Administrative Tools-->Computer Management-->
Local Users and Groups-->{account}-->Rename.

This works fine, except now the user folder under Documents and
Settings ("C:\Documents and Settings\Paul Moloney") is still the old
name, and does not match the new name. This especially gives me
problems running some Word macros.

Is it safe to just rename this folder?

P.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

It is a system folder, and the name cannot be changed once created. You
would have to create a new account with the preferred name, then copy the
user data into it. Then you can disable the unwanted one and delete the
account and user folder.

How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811151

Note that one step not listed in the article is that after creating the
destination profile you must log into it once first to create the necessary
file structure before you do the copy procedure.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[oceanclub]

Hi,

It is a system folder, and the name cannot be changed once created. You
would have to create a new account with the preferred name, then copy the
user data into it. Then you can disable the unwanted one and delete the
account and user folder.

How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811151

Hi Rick,

I've followed the instructions, but I'm stuck at this point:

1. Log on as a user other than the user whose profile you are copying
files to or from.
2. In Windows Explorer, click Tools, click Folder Options, click the
View tab, click Show hidden files and folders, click to clear the Hide
protected operating system files check box, and then click OK.
3. Locate the C:\Documents and Settings\Old_Username folder, where C is
the drive on which Windows XP is installed, and Old_Username is the
name of the profile you want to copy user data from.


I've created a new temporary user, Temp, for step 1, with admin
permissions. (All three users have admin permissions, with no
passwords).

When I log in as Templ, I can access the new folder "C:\Documents and
Settings\Paul" fine. However, when
I attempt to access the original "C:\Documents and Settings\Paul
Moloney" folder, I get "access is denied".

Any idea what is wrong?

P.

 

[oceanclub]

Hi,

It is a system folder, and the name cannot be changed once created. You
would have to create a new account with the preferred name, then copy the
user data into it. Then you can disable the unwanted one and delete the
account and user folder.

How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811151

Hi Rick,

I've followed the instructions, but I'm stuck at this point:

1. Log on as a user other than the user whose profile you are copying
files to or from.
2. In Windows Explorer, click Tools, click Folder Options, click the
View tab, click Show hidden files and folders, click to clear the Hide
protected operating system files check box, and then click OK.
3. Locate the C:\Documents and Settings\Old_Username folder, where C is
the drive on which Windows XP is installed, and Old_Username is the
name of the profile you want to copy user data from.


I've created a new temporary user, Temp, for step 1, with admin
permissions. (All three users have admin permissions, with no
passwords).

When I log in as Templ, I can access the new folder "C:\Documents and
Settings\Paul" fine. However, when
I attempt to access the original "C:\Documents and Settings\Paul
Moloney" folder, I get "access is denied".

Any idea what is wrong?

P.

 

[oceanclub]

Just to note: I've even tried logging in using the original
administrator account (by switching off Fast User Switching), and I
still cannot access the "Paul Moloney" folder. The only account that
allows me to do that is the Paul Moloney account. Yet the other admin
folders can each be accessed through other accounts.

P.

 

[oceanclub]

Just to note: I've even tried logging in using the original
administrator account (by switching off Fast User Switching), and I
still cannot access the "Paul Moloney" folder. The only account that
allows me to do that is the Paul Moloney account. Yet the other admin
folders can each be accessed through other accounts.

P.

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Just to note: I've even tried logging in using the original
administrator account (by switching off Fast User Switching), and I
still cannot access the "Paul Moloney" folder. The only account that
allows me to do that is the Paul Moloney account. Yet the other admin
folders can each be accessed through other accounts.

Hi,

See if taking ownership helps:

"Access is Denied" Error Message When You Try to Open a Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810881

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421


Note this one from KB308421:

<quote>
If you are running Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, you must
start the computer in safe mode, and then log on with an account
that has Administrative rights to have access to the Security tab.
</quote>

 

[oceanclub]

See if taking ownership helps:

"Access is Denied" Error Message When You Try to Open a Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810881

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

Thanks, that seems to help.

One thing; I get an error copying the following files:

C:\Documents and Settings\Paul Moloney\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass

C:\Documents and Settings\Paul Moloney\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat

Is it safe to ignore those?

P.

 

[oceanclub]

The copying it also being stopped by a myriad of files such as:

C:\Documents and Settings\Paul Moloney\Application
Data\Microsoft\Installer\{B6DE740D-030D-4848-BF17-6C81FCC18E61}z\_12db153c.exe

I have no idea what these executables are for, but even though I have
ownershop of the folder, the permissions checkboxes are all greyed out,
so I can't get full control to delete/copy them.

P.