[Mashoreen]

When I open Task Manager and go to the 'processes' tab, I find my user name as 'WINNER'.Is there any possible way I can change my user name other than setting up Windows again?

[Flashorn]

Hey Mashoreen !

There is a way to change your account name.
Go to > Start > Control Panel . User Account >
Change Account Name:




FLASHORN.

[Mashoreen]

Flashorn, on 06 July 2012 - 03:37 AM, said:

Hey Mashoreen !

There is a way to change your account name.
Go to > Start > Control Panel . User Account >
Change Account Name:




FLASHORN.

bro, i tried that.it did change the user name on the welcome screen and start menu,but didnt change on the task manager. lemme show you wat i wanna change....

This post has been edited by Mashoreen: 06 July 2012 - 06:10 AM

[LincolnSpector]

What name appears at the top right of the Start menu?
http://i1049.photobu...r/StartMenu.png


Lincoln

[Flashorn]

Hey Mashoreen !

The only way to get a new name to appear in the Task Manager would be to create a new account. I just did and this is the name I chose for the new account (administrator) that will show up in the Task Manager: (to create a new account, you will have to click on the "Manage Another Account" link)



It will also show in the normal places it normally shows.



Other than that , the only other name change that Can be done without creating a new account is the name that you gave the Computer when you installed or first opened Windows:



IF you were to create a new account for the sake of a name change, you will have to re-install all of your programs.



FLASHORN.

This post has been edited by Flashorn: 06 July 2012 - 09:43 AM

[smax013]

Flashorn, on 06 July 2012 - 09:38 AM, said:

IF you were to create a new account for the sake of a name change, you will have to re-install all of your programs.



FLASHORN.

No you should not need to re-install programs in general. Windows programs generally install for all users. I know that some programs allow you to choose to install for on the user currently logged in or all users, but I believe that most programs automatically install for all users. You will likely need to reconfigure all the preferences/settings for the various apps.

You are correct that changing the user name in the "control panel" will NOT change it everywhere (for example, it will NOT change the name of your "user" folder). You are also correct that if you really want to change the name/ID everywhere, then the way to do it is to create a new user account (and then remove the old one after transferring files)...I know as this is something that I have done.

This post has been edited by smax013: 06 July 2012 - 12:49 PM

[Flashorn]

Hey smax !

Quote

No you should not need to re-install programs in general

I maybe should have stressed the fact that programs other than what comes with or integrated in the OS
might have to be re-installed (eg. browsers, video players, screen capture programs...)


FLASHORN.

[LiveBrianD]

The only programs that are per user, as far as I know, are web browsers (sometimes - Chrome and Firefox do that if you don't have admin privileges I think).

[smax013]

Flashorn, on 06 July 2012 - 02:14 PM, said:

Hey smax !

Quote

No you should not need to re-install programs in general

I maybe should have stressed the fact that programs other than what comes with or integrated in the OS
might have to be re-installed (eg. browsers, video players, screen capture programs...)


FLASHORN.

I have never had to reinstall ANY program (at least that I recall) when I create another user account (granted that is not too often), but then for any program that asks if I want to install for just the active user or for all users to be able to use, I always pick the latter. Now, I DO have to deal with program settings for a new user account. You also might need to add those programs to the other user's "Start Menu" ("Start Menu" items are just links/aliases to the actual program).

[LincolnSpector]

smax013, on 08 July 2012 - 10:16 PM, said:

I have never had to reinstall ANY program (at least that I recall) when I create another user account (granted that is not too often), but then for any program that asks if I want to install for just the active user or for all users to be able to use, I always pick the latter. Now, I DO have to deal with program settings for a new user account. You also might need to add those programs to the other user's "Start Menu" ("Start Menu" items are just links/aliases to the actual program).

ASAIK (and it's been a few years since I tested this), the only difference between installing a program everyone and doing so for only one user, is that in the later situation, the installer puts the app in that user's Start Menu folder rather than the shared Start Menu folder. (The contents of your start menu contain everything in both of those folders.)

Lincoln

[LiveBrianD]

Interesting - the per user things I've seen lately (like Chrome) install in the user's AppData folder.

[LincolnSpector]

LiveBrianD, on 11 July 2012 - 08:05 AM, said:

Interesting - the per user things I've seen lately (like Chrome) install in the user's AppData folder.

Good point--and one I overlooked in my last post. Most programs install in Program Files, but then they create additional folders in individual users' AppData folder., where they store configuration files.

Chrome is an exception, putting its program files in AppData. I'm not sure what happens if you install Chrome on a PC with multiple users. I'll have to test that some day.

Lincoln

[gmnelson2009]

that info for Chrome is old, it previously had to be installed & updated for each user independently, but since about ver 16 or 17 (it is now at 20) it installs one copy for all users (I remember a message box coming up during that update but forget the number).

as for the rest, yes there are some programs that only install for the current user, others that you have to select current user or all users, and a few that can only be installed by/for the administrator.

[LiveBrianD]

gmnelson2009, on 13 July 2012 - 12:33 PM, said:

that info for Chrome is old, it previously had to be installed & updated for each user independently, but since about ver 16 or 17 (it is now at 20) it installs one copy for all users (I remember a message box coming up during that update but forget the number).

as for the rest, yes there are some programs that only install for the current user, others that you have to select current user or all users, and a few that can only be installed by/for the administrator.

I didn't realize that - on my machine, it's in the Appdata folder (I installed it quite a while ago, and it probably stayed there with updates). On my spare desktop, Chrome is in Program Files. (I installed it yesterday.)