Changed user account name but profile and paths keep old name

PallasAthene said:

Hi everyone,

I got a new HP Pavilion laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. When I booted it up for the first time, there was already an administrator account on it named after the company who sent me the laptop. I renamed the user account and the computer to my name. Unfortunately, this change was not taken over by my profile folder or the profile folder paths. For example, if I go to the C drive and to "Users", then there's the Public folder and underneath it is my profile folder (which has a lock icon) - stuck with the previous name. I can access it and see the picture, music, desktop etc. folders with my stuff in them. I wanted to save a Word Document, and the username in the path was the old one, so that's how I first noticed the issue.

I searched and asked around and found out that I'd have to create a new user account and delete the old one to fix this issue. I came across two sets of instructions. I found one set over here in this Microsoft document for Windows 7 - it is about replacing a corrupted user profile, and it says that one would need THREE user accounts to do it...Very confusing...obviously, my user profile is not corrupt, but it looks like I have to replace it:
Fix a corrupted user profile

The second set of instructions I came across simply said that I'd have to do the following:

1) rename my current account back to the old unwanted name
2) create a new administrator account with my name and log into it
3) copy documents, music, pictures etc. to the new account (how does one do this, and does this include hidden folders like the AppData folder?)
4) Delete the old account

I am not sure if these instructions are for Windows XP only or if they can be applied to Windows 7 as well.

Can you please help me fix this issue? I'm not a computer geek, I cannot edit the registry, I am a Windows 7 newbie and I don't know which instructions to follow.
I have already installed some new programs on the laptop - Microsoft Office 2010, Firefox, Thunderbird; I have no idea whether and how creating a new user account and deleting the old one will affect them/cause problems...

Thanks in advance for your time and patience

The instructions above are correct, but instead of manually copying all the files, the easier way is to use Windows Easy Transfer (free download from Microsoft) and when going through its process, treat the old account as the "old computer" and the new account as the "new computer." Everything will be transferred to the new account (EVERYTHING), and then you can delete the old account.

This is one of those times where a new user will just have to suck it up and learn some new stuff. There's no simple fix to what you need to accomplish.

PallasAthene said:

This is one of those times where a new user will just have to suck it up and learn some new stuff. There's no simple fix to what you need to accomplish.

Hi, thanks for your answer. I am quite aware of having to "suck it up" in order to learn some new stuff - I've had Windows 98, XP, Vista and now Windows 7.

Now, if I want to copy my files manually, which set of instructions do I follow? The Microsoft document mentions three admin user accounts, the second set says to simply create one new user account. I'd be most grateful if this confusion could be cleared :)

I don't know about three sets of instructions, I just know how you do it.

1) Create a new temporary account with admin privilege, name doesn't matter.

2) Log into that new account.

3) Rename your old account back to its original name.

4) Create your new account with the desired name.

5) Log into the new account so that the directory structure is created.

6) Log back into the temporary account.

7) Copy from the old to the new.

8) Delete the old (or wait until later to do this if you prefer).

9) Log into the new account.

10) Delete the temporary account.

richc46 said:

If I am correct you are using the hidden adminstrator account. If this is so, you could have problems if you are not experienced.
Built-in Administrator Account - Enable or Disable
Create a new administrator account and hide the above administrator like it should be.
The hidden account is to be used only in the case of problems that the normal adminstrator cannot solve. It is too powerful for the inexperienced to use on a daily basis. It can make changes to your computer that can cause problems.
Many times stores that sell computers use the Hidden Administrator with their name.

Hi, I have a normal administrator account which gives me UAC prompts/notifications when I need to change the settings or install/uninstall software.

I was wondering if the following possibility would also work since my computer is new (I have hardly used it) and I have only installed a few programs (including, of course, security software - Norton Internet Security 2011) on it and added two or three Word documents. I've not transferred any music, videos, pictures etc. to the computer so far. In other words - I don't have many files to copy, and I could simply move my documents and copies of my Firefox and Thunderbird profile folders to a USB flash drive and then transfer them in that manner to a new user account. Would that be possible (that way I would not have to create a third temporary administrator account either)?

richc46 said:

Yes you can
Read Brink
Hes our best
Creating a New User Account Similar to an Existing User Account

I figured from browsing around the forum
Thank you very much for your time and patience. Just two more things ;-)))

Exactly how does one know if one is using an built-in admin account or the default/normal one? Is it simply that there are no UAC prompts when using the former account? Because from what I read, it is possible to rename the built-in admin account.

And secondly, why is it necessary to copy the AppData folder to the new user account? Would it be possible to just leave it and copy only the handful of documents I've got (via USB flash drive as posted above)? Sorry - I tend to get hooked onto the details...that way I can add this interesting phenomenon in in-depth detail to my computer folder of oddities ;-)

PS: nice avatar ;-)