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superspeed
(member) Sat 22-Dec-12 20:52:10

Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[link to this post]

Just thought I would ask on here if anybody knows how to get rid of this.

You know on XP that you have a name right? Well I decided to change it and did that first by going into edit account and then change computer name. Then my admin account on XP. But in many places, it's still has my old name. Ctrl alt delete and it's still where the process are and if I upload a file from my desktop, or my documents.

Tried this but still the same http://www.lockergnome.com/windows/2005/02/15/change...

Any idea?

Edited by superspeed (Sat 22-Dec-12 20:52:54)

XRaySpeX
(eat-sleep-adslguide) Sat 22-Dec-12 21:19:39

Re: Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[re: superspeed] [link to this post]

I don't understand which name you are talking about or where.

Computer name and users names are separate things. Former can be changed in Control Panel/System/Computer Name. Latter in Control Panel/User Accounts.

Ctrl alt delete gives the Task Manager. Or do you mean the log-in screen with all the user names?

On thing that can't be changed is the folder name of your \Documents and Settings w/out reinstalling Win. This is whatever the vendor set it up as.

1999: Freeserve 48K Dial-Up => 2005: Wanadoo 1 Meg BB => 2007: Orange 2 Meg BB => 2008: Orange 8 Meg LLU => 2010: Orange 16 Meg LLU => 2011: Orange 19 Meg WBC

superspeed
(member) Sat 22-Dec-12 22:59:39

Re: Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[re: XRaySpeX] [link to this post]

Right click my computer, system properties, computer name. I have changed it there.

Been to User Accounts and changed it there too but still the same as I said before.

Yes I ment in Task Manager, processes. It still has my old name.

Like here. Not my photo BTW.
http://www.askdavetaylor.com/0-blog-pics/windows-tas...

Also same here D:\Documents and Settings\MYUSERNAME\Desktop\

XRaySpeX
(eat-sleep-adslguide) Sat 22-Dec-12 23:33:19

Re: Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[re: superspeed] [link to this post]

In reply to a post by superspeed:
Also same here D:\Documents and Settings\MYUSERNAME\Desktop\

That's the one I told you you can't change w/out reinstalling Win. You chose it when you 1st installed Win.

In reply to a post by superspeed:
Yes I meant in Task Manager, processes. It still has my old name.

That's the same name for the same reason frown

1999: Freeserve 48K Dial-Up => 2005: Wanadoo 1 Meg BB => 2007: Orange 2 Meg BB => 2008: Orange 8 Meg LLU => 2010: Orange 16 Meg LLU => 2011: Orange 19 Meg WBC

XRaySpeX
(eat-sleep-adslguide) Sun 23-Dec-12 02:03:44

Re: Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[re: superspeed] [link to this post]

Think I might have found way to change the name in Task Manager, if you have XP Pro or MCE.

R click on My Computer - Manage - Local Users & Groups - Users.
R click on Your User - Rename

You might need to reboot for it to take effect.

1999: Freeserve 48K Dial-Up => 2005: Wanadoo 1 Meg BB => 2007: Orange 2 Meg BB => 2008: Orange 8 Meg LLU => 2010: Orange 16 Meg LLU => 2011: Orange 19 Meg WBC

superspeed
(member) Sun 23-Dec-12 12:50:55

Re: Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[re: XRaySpeX] [link to this post]

Thanks that worked for the Task Manager bit but not, D:\Documents and Settings\MYUSERNAME\Desktop\

I tried to change it manually but was given an error, about it being part of windows.

How stupid can MS be to not even allow a change of name. Hope win 7 don't have that problem. smile

AEP
(eat-sleep-adslguide) Sun 23-Dec-12 12:57:33

Re: Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[re: superspeed] [link to this post]

It's easy enough. The trick is that you can't rename the folder when you are logged in with that account.

Alternatively, it is trivial to just create a new user and then copy the contents of the home directory from the old one to the new one. This is the classic way of repairing a damaged user profile.

cheshire_man
(knowledge is power) Sun 23-Dec-12 14:13:06

Re: Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[re: AEP] [link to this post]

Another, though fairly long way, is to create the new account, use Microsoft Windows Easy transfer (WET) to copy all from the old account, use WET again and take the option to copy to a different account and copy to the newly created account.

Once you're happy that the new account is working fine, delete the old account.

Tony

Pipexer
(eat-sleep-adslguide) Sun 23-Dec-12 15:06:04

Re: Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[re: superspeed] [link to this post]

In reply to a post by superspeed:
How stupid can MS be to not even allow a change of name. Hope win 7 don't have that problem.

It would be easy for Microsoft to allow you to change it. But customers would be the first to complain when they try to use their favourite 3rd party applications which has a hardcoded path to c:\users\yourname\ set at install-time and breaks once you have changed it.

Zen 8000 Pro

XRaySpeX
(eat-sleep-adslguide) Sun 23-Dec-12 18:42:22

Re: Getting rid of old computer name and account name

[re: superspeed] [link to this post]

You're welcome!

In reply to a post by superspeed:
Thanks that worked for the Task Manager bit but not, D:\Documents and Settings\MYUSERNAME\Desktop\

It wouldn't! I wouldn't try to mess about with that folder name as it's referenced from all over the Registry.

1999: Freeserve 48K Dial-Up => 2005: Wanadoo 1 Meg BB => 2007: Orange 2 Meg BB => 2008: Orange 8 Meg LLU => 2010: Orange 16 Meg LLU => 2011: Orange 19 Meg WBC

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