Renaming a System folder

[Tom]

Hi,

When I first installed WinXP I was persuaded by the MS
install pgm to provide my full name. In my naivete I did
so. Now a system folder in C:/Documents and Settings/ is
labelled with my full name. It appears that this info
sometimes goes out on the web.

Attempts to rename the folder elicit the "windows system
folder cannot be renamed.." error msg. Is there not some
way I can rename this folder?

I sort of resent MS not warning me of this. Can anyone
help me?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Ken Simmons [MSFT]]

Tom,

The folder in Documents and Settings contains your user profile for Windows.
I suspect that your name is getting out via your newsgroup reader, i.e
Outlook Express or some equivalent application rather than the information
coming from your personal folder in Documents and Settings. You can check
the account properties for your newsreader and change that if you desire.

Regards,

Ken Simmons

Microsoft Technical Support for Platforms and Business Applications

 

[T.C.]

Since in Control Panel, using User Accounts/Change an Account/Pick an
Account to Change/Change Name, only changes the name of the account on the
Welcome screen and Start menu, but NOT the Documents and Settings subfolder
for that User (although it still accesses the user folder with the old name
even though you've changed it). You'd have to:

(Some of this is from Kelly's site) In order to do what you want, you'll
have to create a new user account with the name that you want, copy the
settings from the old user account to the new user account from a third
account (which has to be an account with administrator privileges), then
delete the old account. How:

Create a new account using the name that you want to appear in the user
profile, for example, C:\Documents and Settings\newuser. Then logon to
newuser and logoff. Now the newuser account and profile folder
(C:\Documents and Settings\newuser) exist. Logon to an administrator
account that is NOT the administrator account you want to copy from. If you
have to, create a third account to do this.

Then open the Control Panel, double click: System, and click the Advanced
tab. Look for the heading: User Profiles and then click the Settings button
for that heading. Select the User Profile with the old name to highlight
it, click the Copy To button, then use the Browse button to navigate to the
newuser you created. Now logon to newuser you created and check your files
and settings.

Once you are sure that the newuser is as you like it, you can delete the old
account (unless it is the Administrator account, then you should leave it
alone for emergency use).

 

[Guest]

Ok, Ken, thanks. I'll look into that possibility. -Tom

 

[CWatters]

Hi Ken,

Is it also true that spaces in account names cause network problems?

I read on another newsgroup that "Pocket PC" accounts should be renamed
PocketPC or Pocket_PC to avoid any wireless network problems. Would the same
would apply to WinXP user accounts of the form <first name>sp<second name>
or this just a load of rubbish?

Colin