Change Name Of Users Folder In C Drive - Is This Possible?

[Greg Matthews]

Hi,

When I got a new PC, I changed the username in User Accounts to my own name.
However, in C:\Users, there are 2 folders titled Public and User. Is this
correct or should the folder titled User be my own name? I would like this
to show my own username, but do not seem to be able to carry this out?

Can someone let me know if this is possible to do without having to
re-install Vista Home Premium?

Thanks

Greg

 

[Malke]

Hi,

When I got a new PC, I changed the username in User Accounts to my own
name.
However, in C:\Users, there are 2 folders titled Public and User. Is this
correct or should the folder titled User be my own name? I would like
this to show my own username, but do not seem to be able to carry this
out?

Can someone let me know if this is possible to do without having to
re-install Vista Home Premium?

As you have discovered, simply renaming your user account the way you did
does not change the actual user account name (which is the generic "User").
While logged into an account with administrative privileges, go to the User
Accounts Applet in Control Panel and create:

1. A Standard user account for your own personal daily use.

2. An extra Administrator account for elevation and emergencies. You may
never need to log into this account but someday you may be very glad you
were foresighted enough to create it.

3. Now log into the new Standard user account. You can copy your data from
User to it. Once you have everything set up the way you like, you can
delete User - or keep it and just delete the extra set of data.

Malke

 

[Greg Matthews]

Hi,

Thanks for this information. If I create a standard user account, will this
mean that I am unable to run certain programs that require administration
permissions? Also, how would I transfer items in the current User folder
over to the standard user account in the easiest way?

Also, Is there any way that I am able to change anything within my current
profile where I have set up all my preferences, programs,etc or would I have
to set up everything again within the standard user account and effectively
start again?

Finally, I would have a situation where I would have 3 profiles, named, for
example:

Bob Smith (current profile)
BobSmith (new admin profile)
Bob_Smith (new standard user profile)

Is that correct, and would then log in to my required profile each time?

Thanks again for your help on this.

Greg.

 

[Victor Constantinescu]

Hi,
Creating a standard username means that you will need to supply
administrative credentials whenever you need to launch a program that
requires administrative privileges.

You can do a side-by-side migration using the Windows Easy Transfer wizard
(type easy transfer in the quick search) so you will kepp all your files and
preferences.

 

[Malke]

Greg Matthews wrote:

Comments inline:

Thanks for this information. If I create a standard user account, will
this mean that I am unable to run certain programs that require
administration permissions?

You should never be running as Administrator in Vista, only Standard. All
programs written for Vista understand the permission structure. If you have
older programs that need to run as administrator, consider replacing them.
Otherwise work with them on a case-by-case basis.

Also, how would I transfer items in the current User folder
over to the standard user account in the easiest way?

You can create your new user account as Administrator so it matches your old
permissions and after everything is transferred, change it to Standard. You
will have previously created at least one other Administrator account
(aside from the built-in Administrator account which is disabled by default
in Vista) for elevation and emergency purposes.

Also, Is there any way that I am able to change anything within my current
profile where I have set up all my preferences, programs,etc or would I
have to set up everything again within the standard user account and
effectively start again?

You can use the WET method as suggested by the other poster or you can copy
the old account to the new one with this method:

1. Create the new user account and at least one extra account with
administrative privileges.

2. Log into the new user account and then log into the extra account.

3. Control Panel>System>Advanced>User Profiles>Settings

4. You will see where you can copy user accounts. Copy the old account to
the new one from there. Use the Browse to select your new account (C
\Users\newaccount).

Finally, I would have a situation where I would have 3 profiles, named,
for example:

Bob Smith (current profile)
BobSmith (new admin profile)
Bob_Smith (new standard user profile)

Is that correct, and would then log in to my required profile each time?

You certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to name the accounts all the same!
That would just be confusing. But yes, you would have the three new
accounts if you decided not to delete the "Bob Smith (current profile"). If
you want the machine to log into the Bob_Smith Standard profile
automatically (go directly to the Desktop), that is easily accomplished.

The instructions at this link work for both XP and Vista:

Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) -
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm

Malke