Dumb administrator

[Ian Hoare]

hi all,

The dumb administrator is me!!

When first setting up our new portable under XP (Pro for what it's worth) I
was asked for the name of the principle user (I forget how it was phrased)
and typed in the name of my wife. The only problem is that I'm slightly
mentally deficient and typed it in wrong. Yes, after 37 years of marriage, I
typed in 'Jaqcuie' instead of 'Jacquie'. I know it's not at all serious, but
it is a perpetual reminder of my dumbitude, so what I'd like to know is
whether I can easily change all references to "Jaqcuie" to point to
"Jacquie!!! I can easily change the folder names, that's no problem, but can
I change the name of a user, and if so, how do I do it?

A related question. I exported a complete copy of the registry - all 65Mb of
it!!!!! Is there any program which can do mass changes to it? Regedit has
fairly useful "find" and "find again" functions, but not the far MORE useful
"find & replace", which I could have used to change at one stroke all
incorrect spellings there.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Guest]

Right click my computer - manage - open users and groups and change the user
name there.

 

[Bob I]

As the "original spelling" is used to refer to the identity, I would
create a New profile with the correct spelling instead. Then copy over
any accrued files to the new profile.

 

[Ian Hoare]

Salut/Hi Kamic,

le/on Thu, 6 Jan 2005 12:13:03 -0800, tu disais/you said:-

Right click my computer - manage - open users and groups and change the user
name there.

Thanks for the advice. I did that, but now all the internal references in
the Registry (paths used to find recently used files) now point to the wrong
place.

Now what?

 

[Ian Hoare]

Salut/Hi Bob I,

le/on Thu, 06 Jan 2005 14:28:37 -0600, tu disais/you said:-

As the "original spelling" is used to refer to the identity, I would
create a New profile with the correct spelling instead. Then copy over
any accrued files to the new profile.

sorry to be dense, but I'm not sure I understand. Why not just change the
folder name?

Any help on this one below.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

hi all,

The dumb administrator is me!!

When first setting up our new portable under XP (Pro for what it's worth) I
was asked for the name of the principle user (I forget how it was phrased)
and typed in the name of my wife. The only problem is that I'm slightly
mentally deficient and typed it in wrong. Yes, after 37 years of marriage, I
typed in 'Jaqcuie' instead of 'Jacquie'. I know it's not at all serious, but
it is a perpetual reminder of my dumbitude, so what I'd like to know is
whether I can easily change all references to "Jaqcuie" to point to
"Jacquie!!! I can easily change the folder names, that's no problem, but can
I change the name of a user, and if so, how do I do it?

A related question. I exported a complete copy of the registry - all 65Mb of
it!!!!! Is there any program which can do mass changes to it? Regedit has
fairly useful "find" and "find again" functions, but not the far MORE useful
"find & replace", which I could have used to change at one stroke all
incorrect spellings there.

Thanks in advance.

Because the user profile folders (C:\Documents and
Settings\Username)_cannot_ be renamed, even if the associated user
account has been, 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

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

sorry to be dense, but I'm not sure I understand. Why not just change the
folder name?

Because the user profile folders (C:\Documents and Settings\Username),
once created, are protected systems folders and *cannot* be renamed,
even if the associated user account has been.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bob I]

The "reason" is the grief you are experiencing now.

 

[Alex Nichol]

sorry to be dense, but I'm not sure I understand. Why not just change the
folder name?

Because that name and the folder are associated through the complex SID
id number with the corresponding section of the registry. where the
name also appears. You could in principle edit the registry to change
all those references to a different name *and* change the folder, but at
best this is a fraught procedure, not to be advised

 

[Steve N.]

Salut/Hi Kamic,

le/on Thu, 6 Jan 2005 12:13:03 -0800, tu disais/you said:-




Thanks for the advice. I did that, but now all the internal references in
the Registry (paths used to find recently used files) now point to the wrong
place.

Now what?

Change it back. Create a new user with the correct spelling. Do a search
for Copy User Profile.

Steve