Renaming question

[Ken]

I have a Win XP computer that I am refurbishing for a student and I
since I do not have a restoration disk or partition for the computer, I
would like to remove all signs of the previous owner from the hard
drive. I have deleted many programs and files that belonged to the
previous owner, but I have a directory on the hard drive with the
previous owners name. It was created when the computer was first purchased.

I realize that changing the name of that directory to something like
"student" will prevent some programs from finding files. Since there
are not that many such programs on the hard drive, I am prepared to
re-install any such programs. My problem is that Windows will NOT let
me change the name of that directory or delete it. Does anyone know how
I might either delete or change the name of the original owner (ie. John
Smith) that is on a directory under C:\Documents and Settings, and
replace it with a new one?

 

[VanguardLH]

Create a new account with administrative rights.

Reboot.

Logon using the new account.

Delete the old account.

Deleting an account (in the SAM database) does not delete the
%userprofile% folder for that account. After deleting the account, you
also need to delete that account's profile folder. That still doesn't
eliminate registry entries that point there, app config files that may
list it, or other files that may point to the old account's profile
folder. While it won't remove all possible references to the old
profile folder but if only the data in the profile folder is to be
blocked from any access by another physical owner of the host then
deleting the profile folder (followed by a freespace wipe) is probably
sufficient.

You cannot be logged on the account for which whose profile folder you
want to delete. You have to be logged on under a different account than
for the profile folder you want to rename or delete. The Administrator
account should be sufficient; however, I have run into situations where
some files are inuse or locked if you log under the old account, logout,
and login under the Administrator account. This was one of the reasons
Microsoft came up with their User Profile Hive Cleanup service that
performs on logout. One issue it addresses are registry handles that
remain open after logoff and these prevent %userprofile% deletion
because the user's registry .dat files are under there. Another example
are scheduled tasks ran under the old account which can be configured to
load *without* having to login under the old account under which they
were created. So reboot into Windows' safe mode and login under
Administrator.

 

[VanguardLH]

I have a Win XP computer that I am refurbishing for a student and I
since I do not have a restoration disk or partition for the computer, I
would like to remove all signs of the previous owner from the hard
drive.

Why do you (or the next owner) not have legitimate installation media
for Windows? Why didn't the used computer come with legitimate
installation media? If the installation media was "lost", how do you
know there still exists a legitimate license for that computer?

If a legitimate license of Windows is included with the (which means
installation media must be available either as a disc or hidden
partition) then why are you giving a polluted host to the next owner?
Wipe the hard disk and do a fresh and clean install of Windows.

If you want the next user to get a clean install of Windows, wipe the
drive and do a new install. Besides the %userprofile% folder and apps,
you don't know what else might be lingering on that polluted host
(malware, spyware, porn, etc).

 

[David H. Lipman]

Deleting an account (in the SAM database) does not delete the
%userprofile% folder for that account. After deleting the account, you
also need to delete that account's profile folder. That still doesn't
eliminate registry entries that point there, app config files that may
list it, or other files that may point to the old account's profile
folder. While it won't remove all possible references to the old
profile folder but if only the data in the profile folder is to be
blocked from any access by another physical owner of the host then
deleting the profile folder (followed by a freespace wipe) is probably
sufficient.

You cannot be logged on the account for which whose profile folder you
want to delete. You have to be logged on under a different account than
for the profile folder you want to rename or delete. The Administrator
account should be sufficient; however, I have run into situations where
some files are inuse or locked if you log under the old account, logout,
and login under the Administrator account. This was one of the reasons
Microsoft came up with their User Profile Hive Cleanup service that
performs on logout. One issue it addresses are registry handles that
remain open after logoff and these prevent %userprofile% deletion
because the user's registry .dat files are under there. Another example
are scheduled tasks ran under the old account which can be configured to
load *without* having to login under the old account under which they
were created. So reboot into Windows' safe mode and login under
Administrator.

Right-Click on "My Computer" --> Properties --> Advanced --> User Profiles - settings
Highlight the old account
Choose; "Delete"

Right-Click on "My Computer" --> Manage --> Local Users and Groups --> Users
Right-Click on the old account name and choose; "Delete"

 

[Ken]

Why do you (or the next owner) not have legitimate installation media
for Windows? Why didn't the used computer come with legitimate
installation media? If the installation media was "lost", how do you
know there still exists a legitimate license for that computer?

If a legitimate license of Windows is included with the (which means
installation media must be available either as a disc or hidden
partition) then why are you giving a polluted host to the next owner?
Wipe the hard disk and do a fresh and clean install of Windows.

If you want the next user to get a clean install of Windows, wipe the
drive and do a new install. Besides the %userprofile% folder and apps,
you don't know what else might be lingering on that polluted host
(malware, spyware, porn, etc).

You have submitted some valid questions, perhaps I can answer them: I
am retired and use some of my time to restore computers that are
destined for the trash heap and give them to underprivileged children.
I have done this to the tune of over 400 computers. When people give me
the hardware, often it is not working or incomplete. Sometimes the
computer has a restoration disk and some have restoration partitions.
When they do, I use that to restore the computer to its original state
thereby deleting any information that the previous user might have left
on the hard drive.

Just because the previous owner failed to include all software that
originally came with the computer does not mean that I, nor the
recipient are not grateful of their donation. I feel it would be
imposing of me to ask them to scour their software to provide such an
item and simply try to do the best with what I have.

Most of the recipients come from homes with a single parent and feel
like they hit the lottery when someone gives them a computer. It is my
hope that the computer will stimulate interest in learning that
otherwise might not happen, thereby making them a productive adult some
day. I know this is an ambitious goal, but why not?

So in closing, I appreciate your suggestions and would jump at the
opportunity to restore the computer to its original state. When I
cannot do that, I delete unnecessary programs and any personal files I
can find. Not perfect, but I am getting pretty good at it after that
many computers.

 

[Ken]

Create a new account with administrative rights.

Reboot.

Logon using the new account.

Delete the old account.

Thanks for the reply. I followed your instruction and it solved my
problem. I am not sure why, but it did and that is all that matters.
Thanks again.

 

[Char Jackson]

You have submitted some valid questions, perhaps I can answer them: I
am retired and use some of my time to restore computers that are
destined for the trash heap and give them to underprivileged children.
I have done this to the tune of over 400 computers. When people give me
the hardware, often it is not working or incomplete. Sometimes the
computer has a restoration disk and some have restoration partitions.
When they do, I use that to restore the computer to its original state
thereby deleting any information that the previous user might have left
on the hard drive.

Just because the previous owner failed to include all software that
originally came with the computer does not mean that I, nor the
recipient are not grateful of their donation. I feel it would be
imposing of me to ask them to scour their software to provide such an
item and simply try to do the best with what I have.

Most of the recipients come from homes with a single parent and feel
like they hit the lottery when someone gives them a computer. It is my
hope that the computer will stimulate interest in learning that
otherwise might not happen, thereby making them a productive adult some
day. I know this is an ambitious goal, but why not?

So in closing, I appreciate your suggestions and would jump at the
opportunity to restore the computer to its original state. When I
cannot do that, I delete unnecessary programs and any personal files I
can find. Not perfect, but I am getting pretty good at it after that
many computers.

I appreciate your efforts, but I share VanguardLH's concerns that you
may be passing on potential problems to your recipients. Personally, I
think it would be mandatory to wipe and restore a system before
passing it on, or if restoring isn't possible, wipe and install from
scratch.

Of course, that means a budget would be needed for software licensing,
but it would ensure that the systems you pass on are legal and free of
anything that shouldn't be passed on. The way you're doing it, you're
taking a risk and hoping things will turn out well. Hope is rarely a
good strategy, in the long term.

 

[Ken Springer]

Hi, Ken,

You have submitted some valid questions, perhaps I can answer them: I
am retired and use some of my time to restore computers that are
destined for the trash heap and give them to underprivileged children.
I have done this to the tune of over 400 computers. When people give me
the hardware, often it is not working or incomplete. Sometimes the
computer has a restoration disk and some have restoration partitions.
When they do, I use that to restore the computer to its original state
thereby deleting any information that the previous user might have left
on the hard drive.

Just because the previous owner failed to include all software that
originally came with the computer does not mean that I, nor the
recipient are not grateful of their donation. I feel it would be
imposing of me to ask them to scour their software to provide such an
item and simply try to do the best with what I have.

Most of the recipients come from homes with a single parent and feel
like they hit the lottery when someone gives them a computer. It is my
hope that the computer will stimulate interest in learning that
otherwise might not happen, thereby making them a productive adult some
day. I know this is an ambitious goal, but why not?

So in closing, I appreciate your suggestions and would jump at the
opportunity to restore the computer to its original state. When I
cannot do that, I delete unnecessary programs and any personal files I
can find. Not perfect, but I am getting pretty good at it after that
many computers.

You and I are definitely kindred spirits, I do the same thing with old
hardware. But you are obviously in a much more populated area, given
the number of systems you've done. The 2010 population of my county
seat is only 1,089. That is not a typo! <grin> So my "supply" of
old hardware is really minimal.

We vary very little in our approach or philosophy. But I do approach
the question of the "clean up" different than you.

Char and Vanguard are 110% correct, you should wipe the hard drive,
never, never, never, ever, ever, ever give that unit away by just
"cleaning" the system up, removing the old user's data. CYA, you do
*not* know or have any control over where the system will end up, or how
it will be used, or the knowledge of any of those users.

I have no qualms asking, if I have the chance, for the original media.
I explain to them, that when they bought the (assumed) Windows computer,
the EULA, if I remember correctly, states that if the computer is sold,
given away, etc., the installation media must go with the computer. I
acknowledge most people never read it. And some people don't know what
they did with the media, or where they put it. And neither of us know
whether the person giving us the hardware is the original owner, or the
2nd, 3rd, etc. We're simply stuck.

I always format the hard drive, sometimes removing it and formatting it
on my Mac. I've also been know to use GParted, and format for Linux,
and then NTFS. When reinstalling the Win OS, I'll format again, but I
delete the partitions first. I don't delete the recovery partition,
though, I don't want to mess with that, nor do I change the drive letter
originally assigned.

Doing this also removes any leftover gunk from software no longer
installed, removed viruses, trojans, etc. I also partition the drive,
which most don't. And, when I've done all this for an owner and getting
paid for it, everyone has said the system works as fast or faster than
when they bought it or it was given to them.

I don't worry about whether I have the original media. With newer
systems, there isn't any. And if the HD in a system is toast, there's
no restoration partition either. I've got a Win7 system I saved that
has that exact problem, the HD is toast for the recovery partition area.

Now what do you do?

Myself, I base everything, in the case of Windows, around whether I have
a COA sticker with the product ID. If I have that to include, I
consider it legal. I don't care where the copy of Win came from.
During or after install, I go into Win and change the product ID of the
install to match the sticker I have. If that doesn't work, the computer
goes nowhere until I can make that change. Then and only then do I
activate that copy of Windows.

I've been reasonably successful using an original CD obtained from a
less than reputable source. Before Char and Vanguard get too upset,
this is simply an ISO of a retail disk, not a cracked copy, nor do I use
a Keygen program to get things to work. This particular ISO has you
enter the product id during the install. And not all of the product id
stickers will work with this copy. The copy is too old, I suspect. In
this case, it's XP Home SP1, not even 1a! LOL So, if the product ID I
have works, I then have to manually install SP2 and SP3 in order to get
access to the Microsoft Update system.

If the system you are working on happens to be a Dell, you can take the
service tag number, go to Dell, and for @ $20, order a replacement
system disk. Then download the drivers from Dell, and you're in
business. I never order the drivers disk or any software disks, if they
are available. For software, I install about a dozen free, but quality,
programs. Some of which, the utilities, do a better job than what came
with the OS, IMO.

What do you do if you have no product ID? There are software programs
that will tell you that ID from the hard drive, but how do you know if
that was a legal install? You don't, AFAIK. I simply will not do this.

What I'm looking at now, is installing Linux on some of these machines.
Despite what the Linux aficionados of Linux say, I don't think many of
the multitude of versions are ready for prime time. Haven't given up,
though.

We certainly aren't stealing any "sales" from anyone, if anything, we
may actually create a sale or two. The recipients of our systems don't
have the money for a system, so there's no sale to be lost. If we
didn't give them a computer, they'd be using one that's public at a
library, or someone else's computer.

If you want to compare notes on what we're doing with this old stuff,
feel free to email me at the address above. It's valid.

Char and Vanguard, that offer extends to you two also.

--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.6.8
Firefox 13.0.1
Thunderbird 13.0.1
LibreOffice 3.5.2.2

 

[VanguardLH]

You have submitted some valid questions, perhaps I can answer them: I
am retired and use some of my time to restore computers that are
destined for the trash heap and give them to underprivileged children.
I have done this to the tune of over 400 computers. When people give me
the hardware, often it is not working or incomplete. Sometimes the
computer has a restoration disk and some have restoration partitions.
When they do, I use that to restore the computer to its original state
thereby deleting any information that the previous user might have left
on the hard drive.

Just because the previous owner failed to include all software that
originally came with the computer does not mean that I, nor the
recipient are not grateful of their donation. I feel it would be
imposing of me to ask them to scour their software to provide such an
item and simply try to do the best with what I have.

Most of the recipients come from homes with a single parent and feel
like they hit the lottery when someone gives them a computer. It is my
hope that the computer will stimulate interest in learning that
otherwise might not happen, thereby making them a productive adult some
day. I know this is an ambitious goal, but why not?

So in closing, I appreciate your suggestions and would jump at the
opportunity to restore the computer to its original state. When I
cannot do that, I delete unnecessary programs and any personal files I
can find. Not perfect, but I am getting pretty good at it after that
many computers.

Despite the altruistic destination for the hardware, you don't know if a
legit license of Windows is included in the transfer of hardware. The
problem with the transfer of used hardware, especially in your case, is
that the license doesn't also transfer. If it is an OEM license (likely
for restores from images in hidden partitions) then it always transfers
with the hardware. If it is a retail license, you don't know that the
donor has or has not keep the license for Windows. If it is an upgrade
retail license then you can't use it, anyway, since the upgrade is based
back on a full version in the upgrade chain. They could be using that
old license on their new computer which means you don't have a license
to use on the donated gear.

Although the purpose of the donation may be for charitable purpose, I
don't believe any of Microsoft's EULA account for pirating of their
software just because the donee is considered the target of a charity
(and a charity that probably isn't registered as one). I don't recall
ever hearing of exceptions to piracy laws that allow non-registered (or
even registered) charities to distribute pirated software. That you're
doing a good deed (well, sort of and sort of not) doesn't obviate that
you are likely to be distributing pirated copies of Windows. Then later
when these same poor donees have problems trying to activate their copy
of Windows and cannot get any security updates.

Proliferating illegal copies of Windows under the guise of charity or
altruism isn't just a situation unique to you. I've seen a few rather
large companies that decided to donate their old computers claiming they
included Windows but upon investigation it was discovered that what they
were really distributing were polluted hard disks with illegal software
(to the donees, not when previously owned by the donors). Even the IT
folks at companies can screw this up.

Unless it is an OEM license and barring any proof that a retail license
is indeed getting legimately transferred to the new owner (donee), and
to prevent yourself from becoming a pirating proliferator of polluted
hard disks, you might either want to give the donee the working hardware
or, if you feel so inclined, put a free variation of Linux on it. Many
Linux variations are user friendly and have a Windows-like interface.
Then when those poor donees want to get security updates or a new
version of the OS, it's free to them again.

Even if you have a legit *retail* license to transfer to the donee, you
really need to wipe the hard disks and do fresh installs of the OS and
any apps you include. The new owner is still responsible for what is on
their computer no matter from where they got it. I know a professor at
a university in my state that got reprimanded for having porn on his
computer (discovered after he connected to the college network that
requires software/file inventorying clients on their workstations)
because he wanted another one for his use and got it from his nephew who
apparently had some rather perverse tastes regarding porn. I've had to
help fix computers some friends got as gifts (old hardware given to
them) that had malware buried in them. What if your donee got a host
with a keylogger, perhaps one for which hasn't been detected yet by AV
programs, so what little they had in their bank account got rifled?