can the name of a user account be changed

[blockie]

I am the administrator of a resident computer in an Assisted Living facility. I have set up several user accounts with their first names so they could easily identify them. Several of the residents have left and no longer need a user account. How can I change the name of the accounts in question? I have the passwords.

 

[Kaktussoft]

in same screen where you made them you can change them. Just click the acoount and do "change account name" (translated form Dutch, so maybe slightly different)

 

[Kari]

Wouldn't it be easier simply to delete the unnecessary accounts and create new for new users?

When you change the name of a user profile in Windows, the name of the profile folder is not changed without editing the registry. If you change let's say user Abel's user account name to Zorro, you would have a situation where user Zorro has his personal folders located in C:\Users\Abel, pictures in C:\Users\Abel\Pictures and so on. Also Welcome / Login screen shows user accounts in alphabetical order according to the account name given when account was first created. Any later account name change does not change this order, i.e. if original accounts were Abel, Bubba and Cain and you later change Abel's account name to Zorro, they are still shown in original order Zorro (originally Abel), Bubba and Cain.

Hence my recommendation: delete the unnecessary accounts by selecting the user in Control Panel > User Accounts and clicking Delete the account, then selecting Delete Files and finally clicking Delete Account.

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(Tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/181036-user-account-delete.html)

Kari

 

[hArLtRoN]

I wouldn't just rename the account. Delete the account no longer needed and create a new one. It not only clears out any settings and/or files the previous user had there, but it will have the correct file path (as Kari) said above.

I did that with an old computer (before I knew) and it was used for 2 years with the account named "Sara" but the file path using the user name "HP." So anytime I go to get a file over my network I have to go to the path C:\Users\HP... instead of C:\Users\Sara...