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Used Notebook, Change User Account Name Problem

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875 views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  spunk.funk 
#1 ·
Picked up a used notebook with Win7 Pro

When I go to Users in Control Panel, I can change the main user account name and the new name shows there, but it does not show in Windows (File) Explorer

I can change the Computer name, but there is something about the User name that seems like it's 'fixed' somewhere and won't change.

If I right click on it in Explorer and select Properties, it's greyed out. There is no 'Rename' either.

What am I missing? Seems like it should be a simple thing to do.
 
#4 ·
I lied. I didn't wait until morning.

Went there and changed it, closed it out. No change in Explorer. Rebooted, still no change.

This was a business machine, maybe a school's. Maybe a Policy somewhere?

Searching through the Registry finds the old Username in several places including Profiles.
 
#7 ·
Although you've change the name, the underlying account remains the same. Explorer will only ever show the initial name of the account in the directory tree. Your best bet is to create a new account with the name you want, making sure to make it an admin account, then you can remove the "old" account and it's accompanying files.
 
#8 · (Edited)
#9 · (Edited)
^^ Can't see that without being a member.

Found basically the same thing it probably says though:

Create new Admin User

Log Off/Log On to new Admin User

Go to C:\Users\Old User; Right Click, Rename

In Start >> Run, type: Regedit

Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

Find Profile with Old Name; right click > Modify

Also mentioned Start >> Run: netplwiz, but I didn't need that step.

Log Off/Log On to renamed User

Then reset Desktop Theme



Seems like it took care of most of it. I still have some traces of the old Computer Name for some reason though. I can live with that.
 
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