Help! Documents and settings folder renaming... Help!

[ken57]

Hello,

I purchased a lightly used IBM thinkpad with XP
professional. It was represented as brand new, but had
actually been used a small amount.

I'm trying to eradicate all the original owners
information, and I'm stuck with the documents and
settings folder... I can't rename it.

I searched the Microsoft site for help, and this is what
I got:

SYMPTOMS
If you try to move or rename the Documents and Settings
folder in Windows XP, you may receive the following error
message:

Documents and Settings is a Windows system folder and is
required for Windows to run properly. It cannot be moved
or renamed.

The next part of the self-help really deals with changing
to a different default folder during installation of XP,
but all I *really* want to do is just re-name the folder!

I ditched the old owner's user account... but am stuck
with the document and settings naming convention.

There has to be a solution short of re-imaging the
computer.

If I'm stuck doing that, is there an IBM specific OEM
version of XP professional that I can purchase?

Many thanks for any help.

Ken

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

The Documents and Settings Folder is a standard Windows component. It was
not created by the previous owner. As long as the previous owner's
documents are gone, you are good to go. The folder is created by the
Windows installer when Windows is first created on the hard drive.

 

[ken57]

Hi Colin, I think i mis-stated the actual issue. INSIDE
the documents and settings folder are two folders, one
called "all users" and another called raffiattar (the
original owner). I want to either delete or rename this
folder. Windows won't let me. The folder is 422mb!

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Ken

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

The "All Users" subfolder is also a system folder. If the profile for
raffiattar has been removed, then you should be able to delete that user
account folder. Are you getting "access denied"? Are you doing this from an
administrator account?

Personally, the first thing I do when I take possession of a used system is
wipe it clean and start fresh - who wants to fiddle with someone else's
garbage?

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Here is a link on how to change permissions so you can remove files:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Additonal note: To take ownership of a file or folder, see:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421&Product=winxp