Windows 7: After you buy a used Win7 PC?

Boyntonstu · 09 Apr 2012

I have a recent HP PC that it fights me because I am not the root Administrator.

The files with the previous owner's name does not allow me as user #2 to have access.

Has anyone discovered a way to rename and/or replace the original privileges with my user information?

Is the moral of the story, "Buy a used Windows 7 PC from someone with the same name and become the prime user?

Have you experienced this situation?

(BTW I am experimenting with Ubuntu 11.10 on a 8 GB 'stick' and it is very fast))

arkhi · 09 Apr 2012

The actual "root admin" is hidden by default. If you're an admin, you can actually meddle with his files.

See
Built-in Administrator Account - Enable or Disable

If I were you, I would just delete his files and make yourself the only user and admin because there's no problem in that. If he has any useful files then you can always copy that over to your account.

The only problem I see here is if he has encrypted files and you want to somehow gain access to it.

DeaconFrost · 09 Apr 2012

Assuming you have a valid license, you could always perform a fresh install to set the system up the way you want.

Boyntonstu · 09 Apr 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by arkhi

The actual "root admin" is hidden by default. If you're an admin, you can actually meddle with his files.

See
Built-in Administrator Account - Enable or Disable

If I were you, I would just delete his files and make yourself the only user and admin because there's no problem in that. If he has any useful files then you can always copy that over to your account.

The only problem I see here is if he has encrypted files and you want to somehow gain access to it.

Thanks,

I have access to the previous owners files; they are 13.2 GB.

Perhaps this might work:

I copy his folder and all the files over to my external HD and rename the folder to my name.

Next I delete the original folder.

Finally, I copy my folder back to the internal HD.

Is this a workable solution?

(I have the Windows 7 license but no CD's, just the restore portion on the hp partition.)

BTW I have Windows 7 Home Premium.

pparks1 · 09 Apr 2012

I would format and reinstall any computer that I bought used, wouldn't even consider using whatever they had.

sgage · 09 Apr 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by pparks1

I would format and reinstall any computer that I bought used, wouldn't even consider using whatever they had.

+1

Who knows what's lurking? If you have a legal product key you can download the installation bits.

OldMX · 09 Apr 2012

If its a HP computer, load the factory restore utility.

DavidW7ncus · 09 Apr 2012

If you want to get rid of the bloatware consider a clean re-install.

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

Windows 7: After you buy a used Win7 PC?

After you buy a used Win7 PC? problems?