Windows 7: Renamed Admin account...

Hi, We recently purchased a used computer with a fresh install of 7 Enterprise. The user accounts ready to use were the Admin created on install, the Guest & the built-in administrator (which is not active).

I renamed the Admin user, but the document folders still say Admin - the new name I gave it isn't showing up. So I went into Local Users & Groups, & the Admin still shows Admin as the name with the new name I gave it as the Full Name.

Can I change the main Admin name? I tried it & then tried to open Windows Explorer & got an error saying "No mapping between account names and security IDs was done." - so I renamed it back to Admin & the error is gone.

But I need the name to match what I'm trying to give it for our network purposes, allowing this computer access on others, etc.

Hello AAAHome,

If this is the built-in Administrator account, then the tutorial below can help show you how to rename it.

Built-in Administrator Account - Change Name


If this is the default administrator account that is setup during the installation of Windows 7, then you will not be able to change the C:\Users\(user-name) folder name. Instead, as you found out, you can only change the name for the user account for how it appears in the log on screen and Start Menu. The user accout will then have both names associated to the account. The only option for this it to create a new administrator account with the name you want, that's not already associated with any other user account, copy your files over, then delete the old account from within the new one.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

For the default admin account: will all the programs I've installed copy over or will I have to do that manually, and if manually, is there an easy way to do it?

Thanks for the response.

Might not help you, but here's some background information about username and folder behavior.
Kari

AAAHome,

No, you will not have to reinstall your programs. They will still be there.

To keep the program shortcuts, be sure that you copy the contents of your old user account's C:\Users\(user-name) folders (including hidden AppData folder) into the corresponding folders in the new user account. This will copy over all of the settings and shortcuts (ex: Start Menu) stored in the AppData folder as well.

Great, thanks!

Ok, I renamed the one I want to delete as name_old, then created a new admin user account with the name I want. But when I went into Users it only shows Admin, Default & Public. ?

disregard - I logged into the new user & see them now. Thanks for the help!

You're most welcome. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.