Computer Description changes with User?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JimmyJam
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JimmyJam

Is it possible for me to associate a computer name/description with a
specific user? For example, on one system, they have assigned me a
specific name. On another system, I have another name. At home, I want a
computer name that is less formal.

PhatWare had a program for Win98, but is there something built in or
comparable for XPPro?
 
JimmyJam said:
Is it possible for me to associate a computer name/description with a
specific user? For example, on one system, they have assigned me a
specific name. On another system, I have another name. At home, I
want a computer name that is less formal.

PhatWare had a program for Win98, but is there something built in or
comparable for XPPro?
Click to expand...

Forgive me if I misunderstand your question, but you can name your home
computer something you like. Go to the System applet in Control Panel
and click on Computer Name. You can change the machine name to "fluffy"
or whatever floats your boat (within limits - keep the name under 12
characters and don't have any spaces).

If you are talking about renaming your user account, it is better to
just create a new one and name it whatever you like. Then copy over the
data from your current account.

If this isn't what you wanted to know, then please post back with a
better description of what you'd like to do.

Malke
 
I want to tie the computer name to a user. In the cases I am thinking of,
it would be me as user DAD on my home network, where I want the Workgroup
to be FAMILY and my computer to be DAD'S COMPUTER. But on my work network,
I might be user LOAFER and my computer to be LOAFER's COMPUTER. What i saw
was that the computer name stuck, even though i changed user names. So I
would like to tie a particular computer name and workgroup to go with a
particular user.
 
JimmyJam said:
I want to tie the computer name to a user. In the cases I am thinking
of, it would be me as user DAD on my home network, where I want the
Workgroup
to be FAMILY and my computer to be DAD'S COMPUTER. But on my work
network,
I might be user LOAFER and my computer to be LOAFER's COMPUTER. What
i saw
was that the computer name stuck, even though i changed user names.
So I would like to tie a particular computer name and workgroup to go
with a particular user.
Click to expand...

Oh, I see. Thanks for the good description. Sorry, no you can't do that.
It would break networking. The machine's name has to stay the same no
matter what human is using it.

Malke
 
And I also can't have the name change when i am logged onto a different
network? Seems just as restrictive as Win98! But then, i had a prog that
would allow me to reset for a particular network. Is there any such util
for XP?
 
JimmyJam said:
And I also can't have the name change when i am logged onto a
different
network? Seems just as restrictive as Win98! But then, i had a prog
that
would allow me to reset for a particular network. Is there any such
util for XP?
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you are trying to do. Let me try again:

1. In order for a network to function, a computer must have a name and
an IP address that is unique to that network. This has nothing to do
with what operating system is running.

2. On each computer running an operating system that is designed for
true multiple use like NT, Win2k, XP, Unix, Linux, etc. you can have
many user accounts on one machine. Windows 9x/ME did not support true
multiple user accounts. You could have different user profiles and
perhaps this is what you are remembering.

3. There is nothing to prevent you from having user accounts named
Jim-XP, Jim-98, or Jim-Unix if that helps you remember what type of
system you're logging on to.

If this does not answer your question, then please explain exactly what
you are trying to do. Use numbered or bullet points to make it very
clear.

Malke
 
I'm very sorry for my inarticulateness, Malke, but appreciate your help.

One worker, one laptop, three networks and three user/password pairs. All
three networks use DHCP to handle the assigning of IP addresses.

Let me assume three networks with the workgroup names: HOME, WORK1, and
WORK2.

Let me assume three corresponding users: DAD, PARTTIMER, and FULLTIMER.

Finally, let me assume three corresponding machine name: DAD'S PC,
PARTTIMER'S OLD BOX, and FULLTIMER'S SLICK NEW MACHINE.

When I log on as user DAD, I want the computer name to be DAD'S PC and I
want the workgroup to be HOME.

However, when I log on as PARTTIMER, I want the computer name to be
PARTTIMER'S OLD BOX and I want the workgroup to be WORK1.

Finally, when I log on as FULLTIMER, I want the computer name to be
FULLTIMER'S SLICK NEW MACHINE and I want the workgroup to be WORK2.

I know I can manually change the computer's and the workgroup's names, but
considering that XPPro is sort of designed to be moved from one network to
another, I thought there would be some way to handle it automatically.
However, when I tried changing the computer's and the workgroup's names
using one user name, the computer's and the workgroup's names were changed
for all users.

Could I hack the registry and accomplish this? (preferably without a
reboot -- though most times I know where I will next use my laptop and
could set it up for the next location before I turned it off.)
 
JimmyJam said:
I'm very sorry for my inarticulateness, Malke, but appreciate your
help.

One worker, one laptop, three networks and three user/password pairs.
All three networks use DHCP to handle the assigning of IP addresses.

Let me assume three networks with the workgroup names: HOME, WORK1,
and WORK2.

Let me assume three corresponding users: DAD, PARTTIMER, and
FULLTIMER.

Finally, let me assume three corresponding machine name: DAD'S PC,
PARTTIMER'S OLD BOX, and FULLTIMER'S SLICK NEW MACHINE.

When I log on as user DAD, I want the computer name to be DAD'S PC
and I want the workgroup to be HOME.

However, when I log on as PARTTIMER, I want the computer name to be
PARTTIMER'S OLD BOX and I want the workgroup to be WORK1.

Finally, when I log on as FULLTIMER, I want the computer name to be
FULLTIMER'S SLICK NEW MACHINE and I want the workgroup to be WORK2.

I know I can manually change the computer's and the workgroup's
names, but considering that XPPro is sort of designed to be moved
from one network to another, I thought there would be some way to
handle it automatically. However, when I tried changing the
computer's and the workgroup's names using one user name, the
computer's and the workgroup's names were changed for all users.

Could I hack the registry and accomplish this? (preferably without a
reboot -- though most times I know where I will next use my laptop and
could set it up for the next location before I turned it off.)
Click to expand...

While there may be a third party application to do such a thing - it is
certainly unnecessary for network communication. You do not have to be in
the same workgroup/domain as another system on a network to access that
networks shared resources.. While it certainly makes it "prettier" by
possibly aollowing the use of a GUI to "browse" the Network - it does little
more.

Having said that, I suppose you could (if you have certain IP/network needs
for each network) use a NETSH script for each logon to somewhat (not by
renaming though - certainly) change your network settings according to who
logged in and what "network" that person represented.. (Logon Script or
STARTUP script in the Startup folder perhaps?)

http://www.wown.com/kbase/WindowsTi...figureyourlaptopsnicfordifferentnetworks.html

Changing the NAME and WORKGROUP NAME seems like overkill for something as
simple as Windows networking.. When you could just as easily have a
name/workgroup name non-related to any of the networks (as these seem to
only be "workgroups" and not domains) anbd have scripts for each user that
simply map the necessary connections (printers, drive shares, etc) when the
appropriate user logs in.
 
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