How can I change user name of taskmanager processes?

[stanhilliard]

I bought a refurbished computer and almost all the processes in Task Manager have the user name of "User". How can I change it to my name, "Stan"?

I tried changing the value of registry key RegisteredUser on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\
but that didn't help.

 

[UsernameIssues]

I bought a refurbished computer and almost all the processes in Task Manager have the user name of "User". How can I change it to my name, "Stan"?

I tried changing the value of registry key RegisteredUser on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\
but that didn't help.

Changing names like that in the registry seems harmless, but some of those name values need to match other areas in the registry or the computer hangs just before presenting the desktop. I speak from experience :-(

You can create a new user profile and user whatever name that you want. Then move your files to the new profile.

I prefer a user name of username
But I have username issues.

 

[Ranger4]

To change your user name, open Control Panel, select User Accounts. What is shown there is fairly self explanatory so just change what is necessary.

Before you do anything make sure you have written down any passwords that you may have been using.

It's best to have your main User Account set as Administrator & set the User Account Control Settings to Default.

You can set a password if you wish to have more security.

 

[UsernameIssues]

To change your user name, open Control Panel, select User Accounts. What is shown there is fairly self explanatory so just change what is necessary...

I tested that and it did not change what shows in Task Manager. Does it work for you?

Task Manger seems to be the concern.

 

[Ranger4]

To change your user name, open Control Panel, select User Accounts. What is shown there is fairly self explanatory so just change what is necessary...

I tested that and it did not change what shows in Task Manager. Does it work for you?

Task Manger seems to be the concern.


View attachment 370751

Yes you are right, my bad . It does not change the User situation in Task Manager. The only other thing would be to rename the computer, which can be done though Control Panel, select System, then Advanced System Settings, then click on the Computer tab & there the computer name can be changed.

I have NOT tried changing mine, so I don't know what effect that might have. So if you do try that it will be at your risk.

 

[LMiller7]

You have to reboot before the name will change in Task Manager.
The name will not change in the user profile. Changing this could cause major problems.

 

[UsernameIssues]

You have to reboot before the name will change in Task Manager.
The name will not change in the user profile. Changing this could cause major problems.

I did reboot after the name change.
"User" was still in task manager.

Does it change for you?

Now you've got me worried that something is not right in my VM.

I need stuff to be right in that VM.

Please test this somewhere on a fully patched W7 box and let me know your findings.


I set up the entire test again and this time...
:::just for fun:::
...I rebooted twice after the name change.
"User" is still the task manager.

 

[GokAy]

You have to change registry to reflect the name change and also rename user folder, it is not automatic - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2454362

Don't have a VM near me to try though, please let us know how it goes.

 

[UsernameIssues]

You have to change registry to reflect the name change and also rename user folder, it is not automatic - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2454362

Don't have a VM near me to try though, please let us know how it goes.

Sadly, no:

(and I restarted twice)

 

[Ranger4]

This seems to be becoming fairly detailed. This MS website might be what we are looking for, but I have not tried it to seet if it works.

How to change user name in windows 7 professional? - Microsoft Community

 

[Ztruker]

Why do this? Just create a new user account called Stan as UsernameIssues said, move you stuff from the User account to the Stan account then test. Once you are sure all is well, delete the User account.

 

[stanhilliard]

Why do this? Just create a new user account called Stan as UsernameIssues said, move you stuff from the User account to the Stan account then test. Once you are sure all is well, delete the User account.

I plan on doing that -- but meanwhile I had examined the long post on changing user names at:
How To Change A Windows Account Name And User Profile Folder Name - gHacks Tech News

In that discussion two people said they ran netplwiz and it worked for them. But none of the other participants in the thread replied to them.

As a test, I used netplwiz to change an unimportant user name that I had partially changed previously using the methods discussed earlier. netplwiz fixed two previously known failures:

1) Task manager now reflects the change.
2) The change took effect here: [start] [control panel] [system and security] [system] [advanced system settings] [system properties] [advanced] [user profiles] [settings].

The user I changed did not have any programs installed, so I don't know what the effect would have been -- such as hangups, user settings, add-ons to Firefox, etc.

I did not try it on my everyday user name.

 

[stanhilliard]

I backed up my main everyday user profile to a local HDD using Windows Easy Transfer. Then I ran netplwiz [properties] and changed the username from User to stan and saved.

Task Manager now displays user name as stan instead of User. And the profile name in [start][right click computer][properties][advanced system settings][user profiles] has changed from User to stan.

In total, I have made the following six changes to convert the user name User to stan:

1 Created a user, admin, as administrator to work from.

2 In [Control Panel] [user accounts] [ manage another account] [User] [change the account name] Changed User to stan.

3 With File Explorer, in folder \Users\
Changed sub-folder folder name from User to stan

4 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\
Changed ProfileImagePath value from c:\Users\User\ to c:\Users\stan

5 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\
Changed RegisteredOwner value from User to stan (I don't think this was necessary.)

6 With [Run] [netplwiz] [properties], changed username from User to stan.

I have run various applications and the seem to be working correctly.

 

[Ztruker]

Good job, thanks for documenting it so clearly.

Edit: Found I had this squirreled away: Repair Tip "How to rename or move a User..." - Fixya