Guest Steve Freides Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 A user, who inherited their computer from someone else, would like me to rename the machine so that his name shows up in the usual places instead of that of the machine's former owner. I've done this once or twice in the past - my memory is that it's a royal pain because so many user-specific settings get lost. I would like to keep the user name the same, just change the machine name. Because, among other things, the user use AutoCAD, I'm kind of nervous about attempting this. Thanks in advance for advice, gotchas, checklists, etc. -S-
Guest Maincat Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Re: Rename a machine "Steve Freides" <steve@fridayscomputer.com> wrote in message news:5h9e61F3jfldsU1@mid.individual.net... >A user, who inherited their computer from someone else, would like me to >rename the machine so that his name shows up in the usual places instead of >that of the machine's former owner. I've done this once or twice in the >past - my memory is that it's a royal pain because so many user-specific >settings get lost. I would like to keep the user name the same, just >change the machine name. Because, among other things, the user use >AutoCAD, I'm kind of nervous about attempting this. > > Thanks in advance for advice, gotchas, checklists, etc. > > -S- Control Panel - System - Computer Name tab- Click on Change against To Rename This Computer... Job done. Hope that helps.
Guest Ken Blake, MVP Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Re: Rename a machine On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:43:12 -0400, "Steve Freides" <steve@fridayscomputer.com> wrote: > A user, who inherited their computer from someone else, would like me to > rename the machine so that his name shows up in the usual places instead of > that of the machine's former owner. I've done this once or twice in the > past - my memory is that it's a royal pain because so many user-specific > settings get lost. I would like to keep the user name the same, just change > the machine name. Because, among other things, the user use AutoCAD, I'm > kind of nervous about attempting this. If I acquired a used computer, the first thing I would do with it would be to reinstall the operating system cleanly. You have no idea how the computer has been maintained, what has been installed incorrectly, what is missing, what viruses and spyware there may be, etc. I wouldn't want to live with somebody else's mistakes and problems, possibility of kiddie porn, etc., and I wouldn't recommend that anyone else do either. But if you just want to change the "Registered to" name, you can do so by editing HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\RegisteredOwner with Regedit. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Guest Steve Freides Posted August 1, 2007 Posted August 1, 2007 Re: Rename a machine "Maincat" <steve@nospam.org.uk> wrote in message news:eQmZsS60HHA.1188@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > > "Steve Freides" <steve@fridayscomputer.com> wrote in message > news:5h9e61F3jfldsU1@mid.individual.net... >>A user, who inherited their computer from someone else, would like me >>to rename the machine so that his name shows up in the usual places >>instead of that of the machine's former owner. I've done this once or >>twice in the past - my memory is that it's a royal pain because so >>many user-specific settings get lost. I would like to keep the user >>name the same, just change the machine name. Because, among other >>things, the user use AutoCAD, I'm kind of nervous about attempting >>this. >> >> Thanks in advance for advice, gotchas, checklists, etc. >> >> -S- > Control Panel - System - Computer Name tab- Click on Change against To > Rename This Computer... > > Job done. > > Hope that helps. It won't cause all the desktop settings, etc., for the current user to disappear? -S-
Guest Steve Freides Posted August 1, 2007 Posted August 1, 2007 Re: Rename a machine "Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@this.is.am.invalid.domain> wrote in message news:qi8va3t4t9p6imotvqsf2alhclij6oh0a9@4ax.com... > On Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:43:12 -0400, "Steve Freides" > <steve@fridayscomputer.com> wrote: > >> A user, who inherited their computer from someone else, would like me >> to >> rename the machine so that his name shows up in the usual places >> instead of >> that of the machine's former owner. I've done this once or twice in >> the >> past - my memory is that it's a royal pain because so many >> user-specific >> settings get lost. I would like to keep the user name the same, just >> change >> the machine name. Because, among other things, the user use AutoCAD, >> I'm >> kind of nervous about attempting this. > > > If I acquired a used computer, the first thing I would do with it > would be to reinstall the operating system cleanly. You have no idea > how the computer has been maintained, what has been installed > incorrectly, what is missing, what viruses and spyware there may be, > etc. I wouldn't want to live with somebody else's mistakes and > problems, possibility of kiddie porn, etc., and I wouldn't recommend > that anyone else do either. This is not a used computer - it was given to one person, set up, but never actually used. The new user got it several months ago and now has it working to his liking but still under the old name. > But if you just want to change the "Registered to" name, you can do so > by editing > HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\RegisteredOwner > with Regedit. I want the machine name that, e.g., shows when you print a test page for your printer, shows when you're browsing the network looking for computers, etc. -S- > -- > Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User > Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Guest Plato Posted August 1, 2007 Posted August 1, 2007 Re: Rename a machine Steve Freides wrote: > > A user, who inherited their computer from someone else, would like me to > rename the machine so that his name shows up in the usual places instead of Anytime you get a used PC, the best bet to to wipe the hard drive and then install the OS you want to use totally fresh. -- http://www.bootdisk.com/
Guest Steve Freides Posted August 1, 2007 Posted August 1, 2007 Re: Rename a machine "Plato" <|@|.|> wrote in message news:46b016b5$2$266$bb4e3ad8@newscene.com... > Steve Freides wrote: >> >> A user, who inherited their computer from someone else, would like me >> to >> rename the machine so that his name shows up in the usual places >> instead of > > Anytime you get a used PC, the best bet to to wipe the hard drive and > then install the OS you want to use totally fresh. Mentioned and already answered in another reply a day or two ago. -S-
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