Changing the owner and user information (globally) in Xp.

[Guest]

I have recently been given an "older" used Laptop (Dell Inspiron 1100). The
previous owner had Windows XP Professional (either bought or OEM, I don't
know...) installed on it. I didn't buy it and there is no "contract" to show
that I received it. I DID not steal it (I have seen a post earlier that talks
about a stolen laptop)! The LCD screen was broken, so I got it and fixed
it.....
I have been able to change the registered user and organization, but not for
everything. It still has a lot the previous owner's information in it
(his/her name).
Is there a way that I can change everything with that particular name to my
own? So, not only for the registered user, but also for (for instance) the
"My Documents" folder, the registration of the installed applications, just
anything that refers to the original owner('s name)?
Also this person was Chinese and a lot of the applications pop up with
Chinese characters and so on. Is there a way to disable that and have
everything in (understandable) English?

Thanx in advance for any help that you can give me. It is very frustrating
to have it all in someone elses name (and in Chinese on top of that).

Regards, Eric de Jong

 

[Yeeeha]

First of all, do you log on using your own name and password (irf any)?

If you have do so, open my computer and go to the C drive, the open
Documentts and Settings. From there, open the folder that has their name on
it, then SELECT edit (ONT TOP MENU) AND SELECT THE OPTION OF "SELECT ALL",
SELECET "EDIT AGAIN BUT THIS TIME SELECT "CUT". aT SOME POINT, ITS GOING TO
GIVE YOU AN ERROR MESSAG, SAYING IT CAN'T COPY USERE.DAT BECAUSE THE FILE IS
IN USE. LEAVING THEIR FOLDER NAME OPEN, GO TO THE START BUTTON AND SELECT
SEARCH. Then sele "Files and Folder", type in the name of the file
"user4.dat". Onece it shows you the location of the file, go to that
directory and select everything to CUT", except "user.dat", then go back to
the folder that has your name on it and open the folder. With the mouse away
from any file name or folder, right clcik and select paste. It will tell you
when duplicate folders or file names are found but just select "YES TO ALL",
it may appear more than once.

Just in case their is something in the "Administrator" folder, open the
folder the select "Edit" (on top menu) and the go to "Select all" again,
then select "Edit" again but this time select "COPY". Then go back to your
folder and again keep the mouse away from any foldername or file name (just
out in the middle of the screen will do, right click and select "Paste", It
will tell you when duplicate folders or file names are found but just select
"YES TO ALL", it may appear more than once.

As far as the language part of your question, Click on the "START" button,
go to "Settings", then go to "Control Panel" There you will look for
Regional and Language Options, Select and go to the bax that displays the
Language and change it to English (U.S.A.)

As far as the registration goes, Connect to the internet however it may be
that you get on the net, then go to START, then to Programs" then to
"Accessories?, then to "System tool" then Select Register and Ac6tivate
Windows Xp" , Select the "TOP SELECTION" it will take you to another windows
and this tim' SELECT Register and Activate Windows". Another darn window
will open but just fill it out with your information. After doing that,
select "OK" "NEXT or CONTINUE. There will be about a minutes wait but it
should come back sasying it has been registered and activated, Click on OK.
If that doesn't work, start the whole process again but this time on the
first window to appear, select "CALL BY PHONE. At some point, another window
will open giving you alpa-numeric" characters, which the Microsoft suppor
will ask you for. It's a bunch of number, in groups of five or six, writ
them down, verify then with the support person, and then with the support
person still on the phone, fill in all of the boxes with the numbers given
to you and that should complete the registration and activation for Windows
Xp>

Good Luck

Jim

 

[Guest]

Thanx in advance Jim,

I will have to try this at home, for I am now at work and not on the laptop
computer. I will print the whole thing out and try this as soon as I have a
chance.
I will let the forum now (in this post) whether it worked or not.
Again, thanx for any help already offered.

Regards, Eric.

 

[Guest]

Hi Jim,

Thanx again for your help. Unfortunately it turned out that it didn't really
help me with my particular issue.
You tell me that I have to paste everything into my (Eric) personal folder.
That is however the whole problem. I don't have one (yet).
Let me try to explain the situation a little more explicit:
As mentioned before I got thsi laptop from someone else. Their name and
information is obviously embedded all ove rthe place. I have been able to
change the registered user and the organization from their name to my own. So
when I do a check in my (for instance) "System" window it will show that it
is registered to me (Eric de Jong) and my organization (DJ-Design). Even when
I logoff it will show "Logoff Eric de Jong" (even though I don't logon, that
happens automatically without a password). This tells me that I am being
logged on as "Eric de Jong", right?
However, the folder for the standard user (which would be me) still is
listed and shows up as "Hsiao-Wei", which is the name of the original owner
(this also explains why sometimes things show up in Chinese characters I
guess). There is no "Documents & settings" folder with my name! And adding me
as another user and than deleting the user "Hsiao-wei" is also not an option
I think, for it will delete all the informaion that I have gathered and
installed under the "Hsiao-wei" username, right? And also the software that
was installed (and is newly installed seems to do it too) lists that previous
owners name as the one it is regieterd to.
Like I said I would just like to do something similar to a "Search &
Replace" (probably in the Registry or something lik that...), so basically
search for whatever I can find related to the previous owner (and the
different variation of the name) and replace that with my own name and
organization).
I will do the registration thing with Microsoft online later on, I haven't
tried to do that yet..... I would like to solve this issue first.

I hope this makes it all a little bit more clear to everyone involved (and
the ones that will become involved...). And hopefully a more usable solution
will be provided.

Again, Jim thanks for your help so far.

Regards, Eric de Jong

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Hi Jim,

Thanx again for your help. Unfortunately it turned out that it
didn't really help me with my particular issue.
You tell me that I have to paste everything into my (Eric) personal
folder. That is however the whole problem. I don't have one (yet).
Let me try to explain the situation a little more explicit:
As mentioned before I got thsi laptop from someone else. Their name
and information is obviously embedded all ove rthe place. I have
been able to change the registered user and the organization from
their name to my own. So when I do a check in my (for instance)
"System" window it will show that it is registered to me (Eric de
Jong) and my organization (DJ-Design). Even when I logoff it will
show "Logoff Eric de Jong" (even though I don't logon, that happens
automatically without a password). This tells me that I am being
logged on as "Eric de Jong", right?
However, the folder for the standard user (which would be me) still
is listed and shows up as "Hsiao-Wei", which is the name of the
original owner (this also explains why sometimes things show up in
Chinese characters I guess). There is no "Documents & settings"
folder with my name! And adding me as another user and than
deleting the user "Hsiao-wei" is also not an option I think, for it
will delete all the informaion that I have gathered and installed
under the "Hsiao-wei" username, right? And also the software that
was installed (and is newly installed seems to do it too) lists
that previous owners name as the one it is regieterd to.
Like I said I would just like to do something similar to a "Search &
Replace" (probably in the Registry or something lik that...), so
basically search for whatever I can find related to the previous
owner (and the different variation of the name) and replace that
with my own name and organization).
I will do the registration thing with Microsoft online later on, I
haven't tried to do that yet..... I would like to solve this issue
first.

Create the new user.
Log in as new user..
This creates the folder structure in Documents and Settings.
Ifr that user is an admin - you can then access the other folder in
Documents and Settings and copy the stuff you need out of the defunt other
name.. Then delete/remove the other user.

This is the best way of making your new user the main user.

 

[Guest]

Thanx Shenan,

Okay, so I will create that new user and give it my name and then copy all
the info from the "old user" folder into the new one (right?). And then just
delete the "old user" through the control panel?
Does that also take care of all the software being registered to the "old
user"'s name? And if that doesn't change is there a way to change all the
software registration to my name?

Thanx again in advance.

Eric

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Okay, so I will create that new user and give it my name and then
copy all the info from the "old user" folder into the new one
(right?). And then just delete the "old user" through the control
panel?
Does that also take care of all the software being registered to
the "old user"'s name? And if that doesn't change is there a way to
change all the software registration to my name?

Not everything should be copied. My Documents.. Favorites.. Maybe some of
the contents of the Start Menu and Desktop.. But certainly not the NTUSER.*
files or - for that matter - most of the Application Data folder, etc.

You will have to tweak and setup this user to look like you want it.. But
essentially that is all there is to it.

As for "all the software" --> that's tricky. Changing Windows XP and even
MS Office names is pretty straight forward - but if there are other
applications, you may need to do more.

The truth of the matter is - you bought a used computer - you really should
format and install the Operating System and Applications over again - if for
no other reason than peace of mind. After all - what if the last user
installed a key logger and everytime you connect to the internet - it emails
them everything it collected?