Changing identity on computer

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I recently had the motherboard, power supply and hard drive replaced on my Dell Inspiron Desktop computer. When the new system initially booted I entered the name “Patricia” instead of “Pat”. Now my C drive, under “users” lists “Patricia” and my network computers can’t access it. I have been able to change it on the system but not in the C drive under users. Can someone please advise me of how I can do this.

Thank you
Pat

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Do you have a recent backup image?
If yes, try this….
Right click My Computer>Manage>System Tools>Local Users and Groups>Users>
then Right click on Patricia>Rename>Pat

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When the Dell techician was dealing with me he said he did a backup. There is an icon on my desktop named “I580-A07”. I didn’t see it before and I restored my data from one hard drive to another. I haven’t used this icon because I don’t know what it is. Could that be the backup image you are referring to. I didn’t go back to Dell with my question yet. I thought I’d try Woody first.

Thanks,
Pat

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Additional thoughts about the network ….
Can your computer see and access the other networked computers?
Is your computer part of the same group/domain as the other computers?
What is the name of your computer on the network?
Which versions of Windows are being used?

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We are only dealing with two computers, my desktop and my laptop right now. They are part of the same homegroup and domain.
When signed on as “Patricia” at the desktop it recognizes both computers in the home group and I can access both. As “Pat” only the laptop shows up in the homegroup and I can’t access anything. The error message says I do not have permissions. I hope that I made this clear enough for you. It is very confusing for me.The names of the computers showing in the home group are Pat – Lap (PATSPURPLEPC) and Pat (PATSDESKTOP). The operating system is Windows 7 Home Edition.

Thanks,

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We are only dealing with two computers, my desktop and my laptop right now. They are part of the same homegroup and domain.
When signed on as “Patricia” at the desktop it recognizes both computers in the home group and I can access both. As “Pat” only the laptop shows up in the homegroup and I can’t access anything. The error message says I do not have permissions. I hope that I made this clear enough for you. It is very confusing for me.The names of the computers showing in the home group are Pat – Lap (PATSPURPLEPC) and Pat (PATSDESKTOP). The operating system is Windows 7 Home Edition.

Thanks,

Did you create a new user named “Pat”? If yes, what I would try is to delete “Pat” from the Homegroup, then re-join the new “Pat” to the Homegroup.

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Did you create a new user named “Pat”? If yes, what I would try is to delete “Pat” from the Homegroup, then re-join the new “Pat” to the Homegroup.

I have had problems on prior versions of Windows getting the system to copy a name change throughout. What I have done (the brute force method) is to create a new user account with the name I want, transfer my user files to that name, and then delete the old user account. However, that may or may not fix your problem — I have found the Homegroup to be incredibly glitchy — and unnecessary. I just add network folders to my document libraries and never use the Homegroup.

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try setting up a new user name in controlpanel/users………..

make it pat and make it an administrator acct.

see if the network ‘likes’ that one…..

oh by the way you havent got some sort of mac address filtering ? cause with a new motherboard your mac addy will be different

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Windows 7 can be really picky about user data files’ perms, and sometimes causes locks on files from one account to another, but will reset perms if you copy them to the main part of the c: drive (root of c:) and then back into a new account from there.

So, I would suggest the following:

Create a directory off the root of c: called patsbackup or something you would recognize.

Copy all of Pat’s files (currently in Patricia account that’s been renamed Pat, I would imagine) to that directory.

Rename the Patricia account that you renamed to Pat (but the folders don’t correspond), to some other name Patricia2 or something. Doesn’t really matter as long as it’s not Pat.

Now, create a new account: Pat

This new one will have the right folder names under Users for Pat.

Move your files from the backup folder on root of c:/patsbackup (or whatever you named it) into the new Pat account.

Now make sure the desktop’s computer name is PATSDESKTOP, if it is not already PATSDESKTOP. Steps to do that here.

Reboot the computer, and then “View or print the homegroup password” for your Homegroup from your laptop and enter the Homegroup password on the Desktop if you haven’t done that yet.

Hope that helps.

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I have printed out your suggestion along with those of others. Unfortunately, right now the computer is totally dead and will not even turn on. So I guess it’s back to Dell at this point. I thank all of you who took the time to respond and try to help me. I will definitely come back if I need your help in the future

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Pat,

Just a guess as I am not using Homegroups but have you told the new userid “Pat” to join the Homegroup?

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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“Pat” was the original user and was already on Homegroup. That is what I am trying to get back to so I can eliminate “Patricia” altogether throughout the system.

Thanks

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For the networking issues, you may find some useful tips and links in this thread….
Homegroup setup

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I’m not trying to setup a homegroup. I’m trying to get “Patricia” off the computer entirely. O pn;uwant “Pat” as a user.

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Since I haven’t gotten a solution to my issue of the wrong identity on my computer, I am thinking about backing up my date to an external drive and reformatting the drive. Would that give me the opportunity to change the identity? Does anyone think this is a good idea or does anyone have a better one? I have to try to get back to just one user on this computer.

Thanks again
Pat

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Since I haven’t gotten a solution to my issue of the wrong identity on my computer, I am thinking about backing up my date to an external drive and reformatting the drive. Would that give me the opportunity to change the identity? Does anyone think this is a good idea or does anyone have a better one? I have to try to get back to just one user on this computer.

Thanks again
Pat

Hi Pat – Consider making a backup image of your system to the external drive. Then, try post #2 of this thread. If that works, you are good to go, if not, if you make a good backup image, there should be no need for reformating and reinstalls of Windows and all programs and all data.

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I’m not familiar with how you make a BACKUP IMAGE. It sounds different than a regular backup. Could someone explain how I do it?

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I’m not familiar with how you make a BACKUP IMAGE. It sounds different than a regular backup. Could someone explain how I do it?

Hi pcolombi,

Check out this tutorial in the Security & Backups Form, and this one as well. Windows 7 Backup also allow you to do imaging, but it is not as flexible as the two programs described in the two tutorials.

The Security & Backups Forum is loaded with threads focused on imaging the Windows partition. Check out that Forum for more information. :cheers:

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when you install Win7 it automatically creates a home group on the newly installed system. This often interferes with the existing working home group on other systems. Since you’ve got just two, you can remove the home group from either system (by declaring the system is not part of a home group), then join the remaining home group defined on your peer LAN system. This was a bothersome issue for me to find myself, and it cleared up all sorts of network issues after I had reinstalled a system. Hope this helps.:rolleyes:

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After you are sure you have everything you need from the old account, you can then delete it.

Hopefully, now it should see everything properly…one would hope. 😉

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What you have done in all likelihood is that you changed the hardware environment of Windows 7 Home Premium. This required reactivation of Windows 7, and the Computer Name (which was “Pat”) got changed to “Patricia”. So now the Computer Name is “Patricia”, and this is how the computer is now seen by all devices and connections in your network. You had previously set up the network with a Homegroup which included “Pat” as the Computer Name (possibly also for the laptop which seems to share that Computer Name).

Here’s what to do, in a totally non-destructive way. Change your Computer Name back to “Pat”. You can do this manually by going into your Administrator Account (you need full administrator privileges) and type into the Windows Start Menu Search Box “change computer name” (no quotes). This will call up the dialog box called Change The Name of This Computer. Select the Radio Button th Change. Enter and confirm the Computer Name as “Pat”. Hit OK and reboot. You should see this computer as “Pat” on the network just as before. No need to change anything else. The old Homegroup might need to be rejoined, but no other changes should be necessary.

If you did not originally have an Administrator Account, you can create one now. But it is less straightforward to do this using a Standard User Account than it would have been to simply set up the Administrator Account when reinstalling or reactivating Windows 7 in the first place.

Please do not reformat or reinstall, as this would be a waste of time and effort, and could result in loss of programs or data. Only use these methods if the name change does not work.

-- rc primak

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Thanks to everybody for all the inputs. Right now I’m dead in the water. This afternoon the system shut itself down again, which was the original problem I was having that led Dell to replace those parts listed above, and now the computer has no power. I can’t turn it on or do anything so I guess it’s back to Dell again to see what they want to do next. I appreciate all the suggestions and have printed them all out in case I end up back here.

Pat

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try removing the CMOS battery from the motherboard, keep it out for 10 minutes, then reinstall it and try booting up.:confused:

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try removing the CMOS battery from the motherboard, keep it out for 10 minutes, then reinstall it and try booting up.:confused:

If your going to remove it I would just replace it. They are only a few dollars at most and worth replacing rather than installing the old one back.

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