Windows - Wrong User Name

[Jeff Gaines]

I decided to put Windows 8.1 on my Asus Z170K, it used to run it so I knew
it would be OK.

First problem with Ventoy in that it would only boot in UEFI mode, I think
that's a problem with the ASUS in giving UEFI priority, so I had to use
my MBR only thumbdrive.

Big problem though was a silly mistake, I spelt my user name wrong because
my keyboard bounces and I didn't notice until after I had installed
everything and it had updated itself several times and RDP failed with
wrong user name.

I spent a while trying to fix it, in the end added a user with the proper
name and deleted the wrong user whereupon Windows deleted "My Documents"
and all the sub folders oblivious to the fact that my new/proper user used
the same directories. Also had to re-enter 3 x app product keys because it
seems they are licensed per user and not per PC which was news to me.

Anyway in the end I thought sod it and started again with a re-format and
re-install.

Is this really how Windows works? I've never had a PC with more than one
user before so it was all completely new to me.

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

Post by Jeff Gaines
Is this really how Windows works? I've never had a PC with more than one
user before so it was all completely new to me.

Yes. As do other OSes. The user name is a unique key, so you can't
change it without a lot of extra fannying around manually renaming
folders and/or re-ownershipping files.

Deleting Documents etc I'm pretty sure is an optional event, ie it asks
first? I've not deleted a user in Windows for a long time though.

Cheers - Jaimie

[Jeff Gaines]

Post by Jaimie Vandenbergh

Post by Jeff Gaines
Is this really how Windows works? I've never had a PC with more than one
user before so it was all completely new to me.

Yes. As do other OSes. The user name is a unique key, so you can't
change it without a lot of extra fannying around manually renaming
folders and/or re-ownershipping files.
Deleting Documents etc I'm pretty sure is an optional event, ie it asks
first? I've not deleted a user in Windows for a long time though.

It did ask and I said save them (there ere only a few files on Downloads)
which it did.

What concerned me was it was also "My Documents" for my new user name and
it just ignored that and deleted all the directories!

Anyway all is well now. I can find things and it downloads updates and
tells me they are waiting to be installed.

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

Post by Jeff Gaines

Post by Jaimie Vandenbergh

Post by Jeff Gaines
Is this really how Windows works? I've never had a PC with more than one
user before so it was all completely new to me.

Yes. As do other OSes. The user name is a unique key, so you can't
change it without a lot of extra fannying around manually renaming
folders and/or re-ownershipping files.
Deleting Documents etc I'm pretty sure is an optional event, ie it asks
first? I've not deleted a user in Windows for a long time though.

It did ask and I said save them (there ere only a few files on Downloads)
which it did.
What concerned me was it was also "My Documents" for my new user name and
it just ignored that and deleted all the directories!

I don't know what that's about; not sure how you can even make a new
user on a different name use an existing user's folders....

Cheers - Jaimie

[Jeff Gaines]

Post by Jaimie Vandenbergh

Post by Jeff Gaines

Post by Jaimie Vandenbergh

Post by Jeff Gaines
Is this really how Windows works? I've never had a PC with more than one
user before so it was all completely new to me.

Yes. As do other OSes. The user name is a unique key, so you can't
change it without a lot of extra fannying around manually renaming
folders and/or re-ownershipping files.
Deleting Documents etc I'm pretty sure is an optional event, ie it asks
first? I've not deleted a user in Windows for a long time though.

It did ask and I said save them (there ere only a few files on Downloads)
which it did.
What concerned me was it was also "My Documents" for my new user name and
it just ignored that and deleted all the directories!

I don't know what that's about; not sure how you can even make a new
user on a different name use an existing user's folders....

It's on the D: drive but was set up "officially" by right clicking on the
original directory and changing location. Perhaps it's data protection,
Windows can't release the existence of users to each other :-)

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

Post by Jeff Gaines

Post by Jaimie Vandenbergh

Post by Jeff Gaines

Post by Jaimie Vandenbergh

Post by Jeff Gaines
Is this really how Windows works? I've never had a PC with more than one
user before so it was all completely new to me.

Yes. As do other OSes. The user name is a unique key, so you can't
change it without a lot of extra fannying around manually renaming
folders and/or re-ownershipping files.
Deleting Documents etc I'm pretty sure is an optional event, ie it asks
first? I've not deleted a user in Windows for a long time though.

It did ask and I said save them (there ere only a few files on Downloads)
which it did.
What concerned me was it was also "My Documents" for my new user name and
it just ignored that and deleted all the directories!

I don't know what that's about; not sure how you can even make a new
user on a different name use an existing user's folders....

It's on the D: drive but was set up "officially" by right clicking on the
original directory and changing location. Perhaps it's data protection,
Windows can't release the existence of users to each other :-)

Oh, manually overlapped then. I'm pretty sure MS didn't bother to think
about that :D "undefined behaviour" I'm sure

Cheers - Jaimie

[Abandoned Trolley]

Post by Jaimie Vandenbergh
I don't know what that's about; not sure how you can even make a new
user on a different name use an existing user's folders....
Cheers - Jaimie

by changing the permissions in the security tab of the properties for
the existing folder ?

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

On 13 Sep 2024 at 14:19:47 BST, "Abandoned Trolley"

Post by Abandoned Trolley

Post by Jaimie Vandenbergh
I don't know what that's about; not sure how you can even make a new
user on a different name use an existing user's folders....
Cheers - Jaimie

by changing the permissions in the security tab of the properties for
the existing folder ?

That would be to give access, but wouldn't make Windows use them as the
2nd user's Documents etc. Jeff's explained nearby though - manual move
of the location of the Documents folder for the 2nd user to where the
1sts were.

Cheers - Jaimie

[Philip Herlihy]

Post by Jeff Gaines
I decided to put Windows 8.1 on my Asus Z170K, it used to run it so I knew
it would be OK.
First problem with Ventoy in that it would only boot in UEFI mode, I think
that's a problem with the ASUS in giving UEFI priority, so I had to use
my MBR only thumbdrive.
Big problem though was a silly mistake, I spelt my user name wrong because
my keyboard bounces and I didn't notice until after I had installed
everything and it had updated itself several times and RDP failed with
wrong user name.
I spent a while trying to fix it, in the end added a user with the proper
name and deleted the wrong user whereupon Windows deleted "My Documents"
and all the sub folders oblivious to the fact that my new/proper user used
the same directories. Also had to re-enter 3 x app product keys because it
seems they are licensed per user and not per PC which was news to me.
Anyway in the end I thought sod it and started again with a re-format and
re-install.
Is this really how Windows works? I've never had a PC with more than one
user before so it was all completely new to me.

In my view every PC should have a second user, at least, as it's possible for a
user profile to become corrupt, and if you only have one there is then no way
to log on to fix it. I generally create an account called 'Admin', usually
just a local user (though you have to provide answers to security questions
like your Dentists's favourite cheese, etc, annoyingly). And in normal use the
only sign there is another user is an option to click the name at the bottom
left, while your sign-in screen otherwise looks the same.

Windows will create a folder hierarchy under C:/Users for each user (and
there's a "default" one, which is a template, and a "Public" one which is
shared by all users.

Oddly, Windows doesn't always name the folder the same way when you log on with
an MS Account (which would always be the same, of course). I use OneNote
(indispensible) a lot, and I tend to create links to folders and files within
my notes. So when Windows calls me "Philip" on one system and "Phil_000" on
another, the links break. What I do is create a hard link with the name I
consider the 'canonical' one pointing to the corresponding folder on the
current system - a "junction", made with mklink -J. That means on one system
there is a junction named "Philip" which points to "Phil_000" and my links work
again. Note that you can delete either (but not both) hard links and the
hierarchy remains. This might conceivably have been a solution to your problem
(after solving a raft of permissions issues) but in general if you bend the
Windows way of doing things it'll spring back and hit you in the eye.

[Jaimie Vandenbergh]

On 14 Sep 2024 at 11:40:03 BST, "Philip Herlihy"

Post by Philip Herlihy
So when Windows calls me "Philip" on one system and "Phil_000" on
another, the links break. What I do is create a hard link with the name I
consider the 'canonical' one pointing to the corresponding folder on the
current system - a "junction", made with mklink -J. That means on one system
there is a junction named "Philip" which points to "Phil_000" and my links work
again.

I had to do that on this Mac when I thoughtlessly created my user
'jaimievandenbergh' (which was my work username) rather than my normal
home 'jaimie' and then imported the previous 'jaimie' account to it.
Some of the app config files had the hardcoded /Users/jaimie/whatever
and so I just made the link rather than doing it properly. Works fine.
Of course now a bunch of newer configs have jaimievandenbergh in, so
I'll have to keep doing this in perpetuity now - or buckle down and
spend two hours fixing it :)

Cheers - Jaimie

[Jeff Gaines]

On 14/09/2024 in message

Post by Philip Herlihy
Oddly, Windows doesn't always name the folder the same way when you log on with
an MS Account (which would always be the same, of course). I use OneNote
(indispensible) a lot, and I tend to create links to folders and files within
my notes. So when Windows calls me "Philip" on one system and "Phil_000" on
another, the links break. What I do is create a hard link with the name I
consider the 'canonical' one pointing to the corresponding folder on the
current system - a "junction", made with mklink -J. That means on one system
there is a junction named "Philip" which points to "Phil_000" and my links work
again. Note that you can delete either (but not both) hard links and the
hierarchy remains. This might conceivably have been a solution to your problem
(after solving a raft of permissions issues) but in general if you bend the
Windows way of doing things it'll spring back and hit you in the eye.

Indeed, Windows way or no way!

I did use the "official" way of moving "My Documents" but Windows let me
delete what was effectively another users data directory.

Anyway I am in business now back on 8.1, just have to decide whether to
move my latest PC over, I think it may be Win 10 only.