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Technical News & Discussion => Windows News & Discussion => Topic started by: psp83 on Jul 14, 2010, 15:49:58

Title: Windows XP name change
Post by: psp83 on Jul 14, 2010, 15:49:58
I've changed the name and registered owner name on my XP netbook but when I go to Run > CMD it still shows my old computer name.. "C:\Documents and Settings\Paul" I want the "Paul" part to show the new computer name..

Does anyone know how to do that?
Title: Re: Windows XP name change
Post by: Lance on Jul 14, 2010, 16:00:06
I thought that was the user name?
Title: Re: Windows XP name change
Post by: psp83 on Jul 14, 2010, 16:25:05
Quote from: Lance on Jul 14, 2010, 16:00:06
I thought that was the user name?

Yeah, so did I, until I changed the user name and it stayed the same :(
Title: Re: Windows XP name change
Post by: Glenn on Jul 14, 2010, 16:43:03
What does it show under computer properties, for computer name?
Title: Re: Windows XP name change
Post by: DorsetBoy on Jul 14, 2010, 16:49:26
I have exactly the same issue with Win7, I had a spare partition and added a copy of Win7 to it for testing purposes, called it "Testrig"  now I want to use it full time I tried to rename the system. It shows correctly in System properties but c:\\Docs is still the same "Testrig".
Title: Re: Windows XP name change
Post by: Glenn on Jul 14, 2010, 17:07:42
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310441 any help?
Title: Re: Windows XP name change
Post by: kinmel on Jul 14, 2010, 17:11:54
The "computer" name is only used to identify the machine on a network.

The "paul" in your example is a username, it cannot be changed.  You need to create a new profile with the desired name and then duplicate (http://windowsxp.mvps.org/dupprofile.htm) the old one
Title: Re: Windows XP name change
Post by: psp83 on Jul 14, 2010, 17:21:26
Quote from: Glenn on Jul 14, 2010, 17:07:42
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310441 any help?

I've done the regedit thing where you can change the registered owner and company etc.

My Computer Properties say the correct name.

Its just in the CMD area the name hasn't changed, But I guess you can only change that by creating a new user as kinmel says.
Title: Re: Windows XP name change
Post by: john on Jul 14, 2010, 17:23:49
Use

prompt %COMPUTERNAME%$G

Update : To make the above permanent you have to set it using 'Start -> Control Panel -> System' then select the 'Advanced' tab then click on 'Environment Variables' and create a new variable called 'prompt' with the value '%COMPUTERNAME%$G'.