New Owner

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Brian wrote:

> I have just sold this laptop, and I will need to help the new owner
> make a new profile and everything. When I right click My Computer, it
> says it is registered to me, but I was wondering if I can change this
> so that it says the new owner's name there. Also, can I simply create
> a new account and give it admin privileges and then delete my admin
> name and will everything be all set for them? Or is it even necessary
> to reinstall Windows XP Pro altogether? Any help is appreciated,
> thanks.

It really would be better to clean install Windows entirely. Since this
is a laptop, it probably came with a Restore Disk or some other method
of returning the laptop to factory condition. You should do this.
Remember to give the buyer all the software that came with the laptop,
too.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Gerry wrote:
> Hi, Brian, when I bought my used laptop I was advised on this panel to
> download a file that did just that, changing the owner's name. I forget the
> name of the free download, but it worked flawlessly. Maybe googeling might
> help.
> Gerry
>
>
> "Brian" <Brian@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:B32C6EF3-BA5B-402B-A278-126FA04E1E3C@microsoft.com...
>
>>I have just sold this laptop, and I will need to help the new owner make a
>>new profile and everything. When I right click My Computer, it says it is
>>registered to me, but I was wondering if I can change this so that it says
>>the new owner's name there. Also, can I simply create a new account and
>>give
>>it admin privileges and then delete my admin name and will everything be
>>all
>>set for them? Or is it even necessary to reinstall Windows XP Pro
>>altogether?
>>Any help is appreciated, thanks.
>
>
>
Tried searching the registry on the previous name?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Brian wrote:
> I have just sold this laptop, and I will need to help the new owner make a
> new profile and everything. When I right click My Computer, it says it is
> registered to me, but I was wondering if I can change this so that it says
> the new owner's name there. Also, can I simply create a new account and give
> it admin privileges and then delete my admin name and will everything be all
> set for them? Or is it even necessary to reinstall Windows XP Pro altogether?
> Any help is appreciated, thanks.


To protect your personal information and data from any future users
of average skills, you should, at the very least, format the hard drive
and reinstall only the OS and those applications whose licenses are to
be included in the transfer. If you wish to do a more thorough job of
protecting your personal data, WipeDrive 2.2.1
(http://www.accessdata.com/Product07_Overview.htm?ProductNum=07) meets
U.S. DoD standards for securely cleaning surplus unclassified hard
drives, and could be used before formatting and reinstalling the OS and
applications.

However, to fix the "Registered to" information for WinNT/2K/XP,
you can use Start > Run > Regedit.exe to edit:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\RegisteredOwner

and:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
Version\RegisteredOrganization

How this will affect the name displayed in previously installed
applications will vary depending upon each individual program; some
read the registered owner information dynamically, while others read
it only during installation.

The user profile folders (C:\Documents and Settings\Username)
_cannot_ be renamed, even if the associated user account has been.
So, your best course of action would be to log on using the built-in
Administrator account, create a new user account, with the username
desired. You can then delete the old user account(s).

HOW TO Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] -us;279783

How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile
http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] -us;811151


--

Bruce Chambers

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