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XP name change

How do I change usernames in XP?

I recently bought a PC from a friend, and I can’t change the user or administrator’s name that appears on the title of My Documents and associated files. Can you let me know how I can change those details without having to reload the OS again? I’m using Windows XP Home Edition.
Patrick Walsh

While it’s possible to change your username from the User Accounts Control Panel, you won’t change the name of the underlying account name, as this could cause problems in Windows. There is a slightly convoluted workaround and while it’s a little fiddly, is far quicker than reinstalling Windows from scratch.

The walkthrough reveals how to use a hidden dialog inside System Properties to copy one user profile’s settings and files to another profile. This reproduces the original profile’s Documents and Settings folder in its entirety in the target profile, effectively duplicating it. Don’t worry about program preferences, your desktop, Taskbar layout and so on – all of these details are held inside your personal Documents and Settings folder.

Once the process has completed, restart Windows. Log on as your new user profile, and then delete the original from the User Accounts Control Panel. If you were the sole user of your PC, you can remove the log-on prompt at bootup by click Start > Run, typing control userpasswords2 and pressing [Return]. Remove the tick from ‘Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer’, type in your new username and click OK twice.

1] In the User Accounts Control Panel create a new administrator account. Then log off your current account and log on as the new user to set them up. Restart your PC in Safe mode, logging on as the master Administrator.

2] Click Start, right-click My Computer > Properties. Switch to the Advanced tab and click Settings under User Profiles. You’ll see a list of all profiles set up on your PC appear. Select your old user profile and click Copy to.

3] Click Browse when prompted and locate your new user profile folder on your hard drive (it’ll be inside C:\Documents and Settings). Click OK followed by Yes. Once done, click OK twice and restart your PC.
PC Answers

also robert you need missed out ‘windows NT’ between microsoft and currentversion.

IF ANY1 FINDS AWAY OF CHANGING THE BEHIND THE SCENES NAME WITHOUT LOOSING YOUR PROFILE OR FILES THEN JUST PUT THE INSTRUCTIONS ON HERE AND NOT LINKS WITH LOADS OF WRITTING THAT ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH. PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ

Start/Run/Regedit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion In the right pane, double-click RegisteredOrganization. Under “Value data”, type the name that you want, and then click OK.

To change the name of the registered owner, do the following: In the right pane, double-click RegisteredOwner. Under “Value data”, type the name that you want, and then click OK/Exit.

On the left side open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE> Software> Microsoft> Current Version> ProfileList

Now go through the files in the folder until you see the one that has your current user name as the data in ProfileImagePath.

Doubleclick on ProfileImagePath and change the current user name to your old user name that you wanted.

Exit out the window, log off and log back in and all your old files and settings should be back on.

Hope this helps!

Right click My Computer -> Manage -> Users and Groups -> rename accounts as needed.

Cheers,
Q