Change Name

[John]

I just bought a used computer and would like to know how
to change the registration/user name. I can change the
account name for logon purposes, but everything it still
registered in the previous owners name. Do I have to go
into the registry? Has anyone done this?
Please email me back. Thanks!
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Nichole]

Go into the registry and do a search for the previous
owner's name. Each time you find it, change the name to
yours. Pretty simple process.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

With second-hand computers, particularly if acquired from
strangers, your wisest course of action would probably 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. Some unscrupulous people could even sell a
used computer preconfigured with the necessary key-loggers and spyware
to collect your personal information for future use.

However, 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 C:\Documents and Settings\Username folders _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

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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having both at once. - RAH

 

[Plato]

With second-hand computers, particularly if acquired from
strangers, your wisest course of action would probably be to format
the hard drives and start fresh. You don't want to get in trouble

Agreed. All used pcs should have the hard drive wiped, or at least
repartitioned and then install the OS you want on totally fresh.