How to change user name

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I have just installed Win 7 Pro 32 bit on my friend’s computer.Unfortunately, I did not immediately realise that I had not set the keyboard options correctly and her user name is set as C:Usersqwerty.I feel an idiot for this,especially after doing all of the rest of the installation correctly and installing all her programs and Windows updates without any problem.

When I right click on her user folder I do not get an option to rename it, and I would be grateful for info as to how I can do so.

Thanks and regards,Roy

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Roy,

Read this whole thread. :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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That’s an excellent thread for Windows 7. Would that all the options were available on XP!

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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RG,firstly thanks for the link.

I tried one of the methods listed in the link,namely I logged on to an admin account that is not the account I want to rename,(I had to create the account) and then I typed in the Run dialog “%SystemDrive%Documents and Settings”,but got the access denied message. Using the Unlocker program I managed to change C:Usersqwerty to C:UsersMaria, but when I logged on to the Maria account I got a message to the effect that the profile for that account was a temporary one, and that I should try logging off and on again later to sort this out. Logging off and on did not solve the problem.

HELP!! What do I do now? I took a full system image of the C drive with Macrium before trying to change C:Usersqwerty. If I need to restore from the image do I need to format the disk first?

URGENT help would be appreciated.

Thanks and regards, Roy

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Roy,

Yes you want to restore the image and No you do NOT have to reformat the drive as the restoration process will put the drive back to the way it was.

Try one of the other methods in the link next. Since you have the image you can keep trying things until one works for you.

Here’sanother possible tact to take {see Jerry’s link in post #3} although it’s not your specific problem it should work just fine.

Post back with your results. :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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RG,thanks again.I followed the “Fix a corrupt user profile” instructions but that didn’t work.I then tried to restore the Macrium image, but was told Macrium couldn’t do this while the drive was in use and that I should use the Macrium rescue CD.I booted from the rescue CD but the path to the image,which is on an external drive,was not shown.It seems the only option I have left is to reinstall,unless you have any other suggestion.

Please advise.

Thanks and regards,Roy

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Roy:
I am not a computer repair technician, but I do use Macrium. Before falling back to a reinstall, try this. Contact Macrium support, and request their WinPE-like addon.

When you install it, and reboot, you get a new option of entering the Macrium recovery environment.

When I have gone this route in the past, I have been able to access an image on an external drive that is not seen by
“regular” Macrium.

I apologize if I am not using the correct “techie-talk”, but I thought this suggestion might save you a full-blown reinstallation.

best,
Dick

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Roy,

What about just renaming the user folder to its initial value?

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ruirib,sorry but I’m not sure what you mean.

Please clarify.

Thanks and regards,Roy

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The need to use Macrium was created by you renaming

C:Usersqwerty to c:usersMaria. Just rename it back to

C:Usersqwerty and no need to restore Macrium’s image.

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… maybe you can help me?

Yes, you need another account with Admin privilege.

Then:

[*=1]Control Panel,[*=1]View By set to Small Icons,[*=1]User Accounts[*=1]Manage another account[*=1]Select the “qwerty” account[*=1] Change the account name

Okay, okay, the physical folders will retain the “qwerty” name but everywhere else it will show the new name.

I have done this many times when I misspelled the customer’s first name or the couple later decided to go with individual accounts (mostly the wife saying something like “but I don’t like his screen background”) and I had to rename from last name to first name.

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For reference, here is a detailed and clean user account name (and folder) change procedure: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/147545-user-profile-folder-change-user-account-folder-name.html

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Reference post #7,I used this method and the restoration succeeded.However,it took 23 hours!Why it took so long I don’t know.The machine involved has a Core 2 Duo processor,as opposed to the Core i7 on mine where restoration takes between 20 and 30 minutes,but the difference in processor surely cannot account for the difference in the restoration time.

The other thing I don’t understand is that after confirming the restoration success Macrium analysed all 3 disks on my friend’s machine.

Regarding post #10,when I read that I had already started the Macrium restoration process.(Being wise after the event,(I mean me not you ruirib) I should have done this).

If anyone has any other comments I would be pleased to see them.

Thanks and regards,Roy

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Well, what matters now is that the computer is working, Roy.

Regards

Rui

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To change the User name, in this case from qwerty to Maria, logon to an Administrators Group account other than the account you want to change; you may need to create one.

First, navigate to the Users folder and change the name on the qwerty folder to Maria.

Second, start Regedit, highlight “Computer”, then click Edit > Find and in the search box type “qwerty” (without the quotes), and hit Enter. In this case, you may well come across some Layout Text Value names that have “QWERTY” in the data string. Ignore these Layout Text values, and just hit F3 to go on to the next Key/Value.

In all other instances where “qwerty” is found at or near the end of the data string, change the “qwerty” to “Maria” (without the quotes), being careful to change only the name portion, and nothing else in the data string. Hit F3 and move on to the next; there won’t be many. Remember, ignore any Layout Text values. Continue until it has finished searching the registry, then close Regedit.

Third, navigate to Control Panel > User Accounts > Manage another account and select qwerty. Select Change the account name, and change it to Maria, and click the Change Name button. OK your way back out.

Now logoff and logon as Maria.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

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I followed the procedure set out in the link referred to in post #12 and that solved the problem.

I am grateful for all the help given to me in this thread.

Regards, Roy

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Glad that your sorted it, Roy :).

Regards

Rui

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