HELP PLEASE user folder name

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Win84me

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Hey I really need some help guys!
Okay so what happened was I had a fake name for my hotmail email that I used to install win 8 with. It was called John McElroy. Then when I had installed win 8 I realised it said John McElroy everywhere so I logged into hotmail and changed my name to my real name which starts with Zac. Most things changed to my real name now however the user folder located in my computer > c drive > users is still called "John" any way to change it to my real name? There is a rename option when I right click however when I try change it it says you can not change this folder as it is being used by another program or something like that (I'm paraphrasing everything at the moment as I am not in front of the computer at the moment) however nothing is open. I also have admin priviledged obviously. I have already tried deleting that user account and making a new one but the folder is still called John. Everything else has my real name. Will reinstalling windows solve this? If it won't I don't want to do it but if it will then I will do it. Thanks guys please help.


Also If this is posted in the wrong section I apologise but none of the other sections really matched my problem. I know I'm new but a suggestion is perhaps add an "other" section?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
The easiest solution would be to create a new user. First, remove the Windows Account integration from your current account. Then create a new account, and assign it to the Windows Account. You will have to reconfigure all your personal settings though.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    CPU
    Intel i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Z77X-UD4 TH
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 1600
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GTX 650
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Auria 27" IPS + 2x Samsung 23"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440 + 2x 2048x1152
    Hard Drives
    Corsair m4 256GB, 2 WD 2TB drives
    Case
    Antec SOLO II
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
    Mouse
    Logitech MX
Mystere said:
The easiest solution would be to create a new user. First, remove the Windows Account integration from your current account. Then create a new account, and assign it to the Windows Account. You will have to reconfigure all your personal settings though.
Click to expand...

As mentioned I have already tried deleting this user account and creating a new one with the same windows account. It did not fix the problem, for some reason it still named the user folder "John" even with the name on the windows account changed to my real name. It's like it gets the original name for the windows account for naming the user folder. It's weird. Thank you though :) I may have to just re install :( unless anybody can offer an easier solution?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Do as Mystere said and unlink your online account but this time go to "Computer Management" (mouse over to Start bottom left corner, right click and select from menu). Go to Local Users and Groups and enable the local Administrator account then give it a password. Log out from your user profile and log in with the Administrator account and use that to delete the local profile that you're having an issue with. Once deleted use the administrator account to add a new account, log in with that new account and link to your online account.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7, Windows 8 RP
R0bR said:
Do as Mystere said and unlink your online account but this time go to "Computer Management" (mouse over to Start bottom left corner, right click and select from menu). Go to Local Users and Groups and enable the local Administrator account then give it a password. Log out from your user profile and log in with the Administrator account and use that to delete the local profile that you're having an issue with. Once deleted use the administrator account to add a new account, log in with that new account and link to your online account.
Click to expand...

I will have to try this when I'm home. Although it sounds a lot like just creating a new user. Logging on to that to delete the Zac user and then creating it again. Which I have already tried and it didn't work. Although you mentioned some slightly different steps so perhaps that will make all the difference. Thanks again. If it doesn't work you will hear from me again soon :p




UPDATE: if anyone has a similar problem I advise you to just reinstall windows. I tried all the other methods but it only caused more problems than it fixed for such a small trivial problem. Yes I could create a new user with the right user folder name but then I was left with all these other folders in the users folder belonging to accounts that had been deleted already and no longer exist. I tried to delete them but it wouldn't let me. Tried taking ownership and granting full admin control and even doing it manually through the folder properties but nothing let me delete them. My directory just became a mess. After hours and hours wasted trying everything I decided to just reinstall and it was the best thing I ever did. I advise anyone in my shoes to do the same and save time. Thanks I just wanted to help anyone having the same problem as I know how it feels!
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Hi,

Maybe this will help. I had a similar problem where I created several "dummy" accounts when I was first installing Windows 8. I think its pretty normal for a user to create multiple accounts to try and get it "just right". So a nuisance appeared with the Homeshares I setup. For each user apparently when you enable Homesharing would also enable the Media Streaming. So essentially when I log into my home network with my laptop I would see 7 "Media Devices" one for each user I created.

The issue was that those previous users had already been deleted. So why did they still show up? Well because the users home directories still exists under C: > Users > (username). I tried to delete the folders but I got the same error that Win84me got.

Eventually I fixed the problem and it was pretty simple. I had to boot the computer into safe mode and then I was able to delete those folders. Below are the instructions on how to boot into safe mode. Now im sure somewhere else, like the registry, those users still exists. Why else would it tell us those directories are busy? This was just a quick solution without having to reinstall the OS.

1. Hover your mouse over the Start preview on the bottom left corner
2. Right Click > Command Prompt (Admin)
3. type "msconfig"
4. Click the "Boot" tab > and check "Safe boot".
5. Click OK and it will ask you to reboot Click OK
6. When your computer reboots you will now be in Safe Mode. Try to delete the users home directory again under C: > Users > (username). CAREFUL NOT TO DELETE YOUR HOME DIRECTORY.
7. Reboot and now that users home directory should not be there anymore.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8
Create a new user with a Local Account instead of using a Live ID/Microsoft account. Your user folder will then match the user name you use to create the account. Once thats done you can switch it back to the Microsoft account.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
ipwtech said:
Hi,

Maybe this will help. I had a similar problem where I created several "dummy" accounts when I was first installing Windows 8. I think its pretty normal for a user to create multiple accounts to try and get it "just right". So a nuisance appeared with the Homeshares I setup. For each user apparently when you enable Homesharing would also enable the Media Streaming. So essentially when I log into my home network with my laptop I would see 7 "Media Devices" one for each user I created.

The issue was that those previous users had already been deleted. So why did they still show up? Well because the users home directories still exists under C: > Users > (username). I tried to delete the folders but I got the same error that Win84me got.

Eventually I fixed the problem and it was pretty simple. I had to boot the computer into safe mode and then I was able to delete those folders. Below are the instructions on how to boot into safe mode. Now im sure somewhere else, like the registry, those users still exists. Why else would it tell us those directories are busy? This was just a quick solution without having to reinstall the OS.

1. Hover your mouse over the Start preview on the bottom left corner
2. Right Click > Command Prompt (Admin)
3. type "msconfig"
4. Click the "Boot" tab > and check "Safe boot".
5. Click OK and it will ask you to reboot Click OK
6. When your computer reboots you will now be in Safe Mode. Try to delete the users home directory again under C: > Users > (username). CAREFUL NOT TO DELETE YOUR HOME DIRECTORY.
7. Reboot and now that users home directory should not be there anymore.
Click to expand...

alphanumeric said:
Create a new user with a Local Account instead of using a Live ID/Microsoft account. Your user folder will then match the user name you use to create the account. Once thats done you can switch it back to the Microsoft account.
Click to expand...

Although I already fixed my problem awhile ago, I checked these out and they both worked. So for anyone who happens to come across this and happens to have a similar problem I recommend trying one of these.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Ops sorry, somehow I missed that your last post was 2 weeks ago and that you fixed it. :eek:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Education 64 Bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Deneb 3.7GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS M4N68T-M V2 µATX Motherboard
    Memory
    8GB 4GBx2 Kingston PC10600 DDR3 1333 Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Geforce GT640 2 Gig DDR3 PCIe
    Sound Card
    VIA VT1708s High Definition Audio 8-channel Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" LG E2242 1080p and 2 19" I-INC AG191D
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 - 1920x1080 - 1280x1024
    Hard Drives
    Crucial MX100 256 GB SSD and 500 GB WD Blue SATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake TR 620
    Case
    Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Stock heatsink fan
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K350 Wave
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Trackball and T650 TouchPad
    Internet Speed
    80 Mbps Down 30 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    HP DVD1040e Lightscribe - External USB2
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