Changing user name

[Kev]

After a week of using the comp I ghosted my copy of xp pro. I've now
ghosted it back onto my hd a year later.

The user c:\docs+settings\Johnny is not the one i am now used to which
is c:\docs+settings\John.

Now i know i changed it somehow but since it's been a year since i did
it i forgot the method. The most i can figure out is to change the user
name on the welcome screen but not the user name in c:\docs+settings

So is there any easy way to change that user name and retain everything
in c:\docs+settings\johnny?

Or is this a case of where i have to a)change the dir name and b)go into
the reg and change every ref from johnny to john?

If that makes sense.

 

[T.C.]

Control Panel/User Accounts/Change An Account
Then pick the account to change, then click on Change My Name.

 

[Kev]

Control Panel/User Accounts/Change An Account
Then pick the account to change, then click on Change My Name.

Done that. But it does not change the folder name in c:\docs+settings

 

[David Candy]

Of course it doesn't. The folder name is not your concern. You're being anal. Create a new user and delete the old one is how you change the name of the folder (as system folder names aren't your concern - their MS's concern - most users never see it and if you use it as designed nor will you). Before deleting johnny type in Help - Copy User Profile.

 

[T.C.]

Some of this is from Kelly's site. In order to do what you want, you'll
have to create a new user account with the name that you want, copy the
settings from the old user account to the new user account from a third
account (which has to be an account with administrator privileges), then
delete the old account. How:

Create a new account using the name that you want to appear in the user
profile, for example, C:\Documents and Settings\newuser. Then logon to
newuser and logoff. Now the newuser account and profile folder
(C:\Documents and Settings\newuser) exist. Logon to an administrator
account that is NOT the administrator account you want to copy from. If you
have to, create a third account to do this.
Then open the Control Panel, double click: System, and click the Advanced
tab. Look for the heading: User Profiles and then click the Settings button
for that heading. Select the User Profile with the old name to highlight
it, click the Copy To button, then use the Browse button to navigate to the
newuser you created. Now logon to newuser you created and check your files
and settings.

Once you are sure that the newuser is as you like it, you can delete the old
account (unless it is the Administrator account, then you should leave it
alone for emergency use).