how re-name primary account?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ~~single~~
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~~single~~

Hi,
I found a dell pc in the dumpster that works. It has XP pro on it, 40 G hd,
and although everything works, it's a bit slow because it only has 128 MB of
ram in it. All personal data had been removed from it, so the My Docs
folder is empty. Is there a way to replace the user name that is in it
with my daughter's? I don't mean change the account name in the accounts
part of the control panal, I mean the one that XP has in it that comes up
when you boot and asks for a password. It isn't password protected, but it
stops at a password screen and then you have to push enter to get to the
desktop.
I was thinking I could run regedit, search for the name, and then replace it
with Shirly's. Would that work?
Thanks,
Mike
 
~~single~~ said:
Hi,
I found a dell pc in the dumpster that works. It has XP pro on it, 40 G hd,
and although everything works, it's a bit slow because it only has 128 MB of
ram in it. All personal data had been removed from it, so the My Docs
folder is empty. Is there a way to replace the user name that is in it
with my daughter's? I don't mean change the account name in the accounts
part of the control panal, I mean the one that XP has in it that comes up
when you boot and asks for a password. It isn't password protected, but it
stops at a password screen and then you have to push enter to get to the
desktop.
I was thinking I could run regedit, search for the name, and then replace it
with Shirly's. Would that work?
Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...

Best if you get the Product Key from the computer and if you have a XP pro
CD you can install on clean installation.
It is best to do this you don't know what the previous owner having behaving
on this machine or what He/She may have on the Hidden sectors?.
But make sure the Machine not OEM product, if it is then it is your call!.
Here some info on how to create a new profile and you can delete the old
one(s)
How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151
HTH.
nass
 
Don't bother trying to rename, just go to control panel, users and create
new accounts and delete the old ones. I would highly recommend a format and
reinstall, you never know where this came from, could have been owned by
someone the police are looking at for kiddie porn or something.
 
A reinstall is a good idea, but alternatively, type "control userpasswords2"
into a run.. box, select the desired account, and untick "Users must enter a
password.." Then you won't see the prompt again.

Renaming a useraccount is problematic, and best avoided, which is why I
setup all nondomain computers with an account called 'user.' Then if it
changes hands.. no problems.
 
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