Solved Completely deleting old user accounts

Watrevir

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I bought a second hand laptop with Windows 8 a few months ago. It had an administrator account 'CG', which I just used as was without doing a reinstall of the OS. I then did the upgrade to 8.1 and then changed the name 'CG' to my own - keeping the same account. I also changed the computer name to my own from CG.

My problem is that since changing the name, at start-up Windows will always stop at the password screen saying 'wrong password', having automatically put 'CG' in the name box. It won't let me log in with my name either so every time I start up I have to manually log in with my Microsoft account.

I just want to get rid of all references to 'CG' on my system so I can just turn on my laptop and get straight to the desktop with no log in required at all. Apart from ASP.NET Machine Account and Guest, I am the only User on this system.

I'd rather not do a full system restore as I have a lot of data now on here.

Thanks for any help.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
    CPU
    T7600
    Memory
    3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon X1600
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 800
    Hard Drives
    40GB
    Keyboard
    Apple
    Mouse
    Apple
    Internet Speed
    Varies
    Browser
    Various
    Antivirus
    Defender
There various ways of achieving auto-login. The one which I think you are trying to achieve its when you are both the sole user account on the computer and have a blank password.

I see you mentioned that there's an ASP. NET administrator account on your machine. It gets installed as part of the .NET Framework. So because there's more than account, Windows is not logging you in automatically.

So are you deleting the unwanted accounts from "Computer Managemen"t -> "Local Users and Groups"?

If you're only deleting the user profiles, then the accounts are still there and they can still log onto the computer.

So it's pointless speculating, as I wouldnt recommend you having a blank password anyway and I have my recommended autologin method I suggest you try.

Follow the steps in this KB arricle: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310584

For more info: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2894-log-user-account-automatically-windows-8-startup.html

Any issues let me know.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Enterprise
Follow the steps in this KB arricle: How to enable automatic logon in Windows Any issues let me know.
Hi there - your link is for Windows 2000 and does not really apply to Windows 8. It is mentioned as method 2 in the tutorial above but is no recommended as you save your password as clear text in the registry. It is far better to option one where your password is encrypted. Welcome though :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
    CPU
    T7600
    Memory
    3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon X1600
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 800
    Hard Drives
    40GB
    Keyboard
    Apple
    Mouse
    Apple
    Internet Speed
    Varies
    Browser
    Various
    Antivirus
    Defender
Absolutely your best bet is to make a new administrateur type user - http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5536-user-account-add-new-user-windows-8-a.html then copy the documents you want to your new user account and delete the old one User Account - Delete - Windows 7 Help Forums

You can log in automatically using a microsoft account though - http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2894-log-user-account-automatically-windows-8-startup.html


The logging in automatically just doesn't work for some reason, it just 'forgets' either my name or password at the log in screen and wants me to put one in. As my laptop is desk-bound at home I really don't need the hassle of the extra security.

I've just made a new administrator local account, what is the process for transferring all my documents from one to the other?

In C > Users I have 'CG' (the one I'm using despite me renaming the account), Default (hidden), Default.migrated, mavuzi minsende (no idea who this is, maybe the last user? Nothing in there though), and Public. No folder for the new account I made?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
The purpose is remove any traces of the previous users account. What you should now do is sign off and sign on as your new user. This will create the directory C:\Users\whatever (where whatever is the name of the new user you just defined).

Then you can copy everything that you want from the old user to the new one - for example

C:\Users\CG\Documents to C:\Users\whatever\Documents
C:\Users\CG\Pictures to C:\Users\whatever\Pictures
C:\Users\CG\Music to C:\Users\whatever\Music
etc

Once you are happy you have all the documents you want you can delete the users CG, Default.migrated and mavuzi minsende .

Then reboot - if their direcories still exist in C:\Users then delete these as well.

Then you can convert your account into a microsoft account (if you want) and define the auto-login. It should work whether you decide to use a local account or a microsoft account.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
    CPU
    T7600
    Memory
    3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon X1600
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 800
    Hard Drives
    40GB
    Keyboard
    Apple
    Mouse
    Apple
    Internet Speed
    Varies
    Browser
    Various
    Antivirus
    Defender
The purpose is remove any traces of the previous users account. What you should now do is sign off and sign on as your new user. This will create the directory C:\Users\whatever (where whatever is the name of the new user you just defined).

Then you can copy everything that you want from the old user to the new one - for example

C:\Users\CG\Documents to C:\Users\whatever\Documents
C:\Users\CG\Pictures to C:\Users\whatever\Pictures
C:\Users\CG\Music to C:\Users\whatever\Music
etc

Once you are happy you have all the documents you want you can delete the users CG, Default.migrated and mavuzi minsende .

Then reboot - if their direcories still exist in C:\Users then delete these as well.

Then you can convert your account into a microsoft account (if you want) and define the auto-login. It should work whether you decide to use a local account or a microsoft account.

I've done all this, and I get the same problem. Instead of CG it's now 'Other User' that seems to be the default log in, and as that user doesn't even exist it says 'incorrect password', exactly as with CG. Then on the main log in screen it defaults to the name of the main account I just deleted, which of course doesn't exist any more. I'm no closer to a smooth log in than I was before, and according to my User Accounts screen in Control Panel I now only have my new account and Guest, which is turned off.

On a side note, I've also been getting invisible buttons and pictures on the log in screen, which only appear when I click on them.

Is this maybe a registry problem? Is there a way of clearing it without a complete reinstall?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Ok scrap that it works! I just had to tick the box next to 'users must enter a password...' in User Accounts, click apply, then untick it and click apply again.

Thanks for your help!

Maybe Windows 8.2 will address some of these issues...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
You are welcome.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
    CPU
    T7600
    Memory
    3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon X1600
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 800
    Hard Drives
    40GB
    Keyboard
    Apple
    Mouse
    Apple
    Internet Speed
    Varies
    Browser
    Various
    Antivirus
    Defender
Are u sure it doesn't work on win8? It worked fine for me on win7 and I don't see why it wouldn't work on win8.

I understand the registry values are not encrypted but it is more secure than having a blank password. The registry would only be accessible by other administrators which is NIL in this case.

What is this encrypted method you speak of and can it be achieved without 3rd party software?

Thanks for the warm greetings :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Enterprise
Oh I get what you mean now... My recommended method is the same as option 2 off the guide you linked. So disregard my previous reply. I shouldn't open my mouth before obtaining the full story. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Enterprise

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
    CPU
    T7600
    Memory
    3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon X1600
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 800
    Hard Drives
    40GB
    Keyboard
    Apple
    Mouse
    Apple
    Internet Speed
    Varies
    Browser
    Various
    Antivirus
    Defender
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