Solved I screwed up trying to change user folder name.

nunya · Jul 19, 2023

A new pc build: installing Win11 along the way, after I got in, I wanted to change the user folder name to what was in my previous win10 system, for no other purposes than familiarity and continuity. I followed this website in wanting to change the folder name How to Change the User Profile Folder Name in Windows 11 and while I followed it to the letter, things got messed up. then I thought it would be a good idea to undo it, well, you can't exactly backtrack something like this and now things, I believe are even worse.

While I have the current broken account working, it is still lacking. The original Win 11 set up after first install was what I was trying to get back to. As a result, i ended up with TWO user accounts of similar names with one having an .SFF extension on the folder name.

the result of my mess is losing bookmarks in brave browser, various programs having to be reinstalled, and the list goes on. At his point, I could "make do" with the current situation, but in the back of my mind I always know it's a train wreck. Everything from the initial install is still on the system, it's just not accessed in the same manner.

So either get back to the way it was (or should be), even if it means having to reinstall stuff, or find a way for undoing the mess to get back to the original set up.

Anyone know how to accomplish this?

OAT · Jul 19, 2023

Hi @nunya,

Sorry about your issue.
Because of the things you have done, undone, re-done and have attempted to do, make it impossible to suggest a repair option.
I hope you have a backup to return to your original set-up, otherwise I would create a new user account and start up from there.
Best of luck.

Winuser · Jul 19, 2023

You can create a new user with any username you want. Make sure you make it an Admin account. When you have it setup the way you want you can delete the old user.

nunya · Jul 19, 2023

Winuser said:
You can create a new user with any username you want. Make sure you make it an Admin account. When you have it setup the way you want you can delete the old user.

Under "Accounts" is that 'Other User' or 'Family'? I am the only one that uses this.

Bree · Jul 19, 2023

nunya said:
Under "Accounts" is that 'Other User' or 'Family'? I am the only one that uses this.

Welcome to Eleven Forum.

You want to create a new local account in the name you wish to use. Only a local account will have a user folder with the same name as the account. Remember to make it an administrator. See these tutorials:

Add Local User Account in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to create and add a local account as a user on the PC in Windows 11. Having different accounts on a shared PC lets multiple people use the same device, all while giving everyone their own sign-in info, plus access to their own files, browser favorites, and...

www.elevenforum.com

Change Account Type in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to change the account type of users to be either a standard user or administrator in Windows 11. Having different accounts on a shared PC lets multiple people use the same device, all while giving everyone their own sign-in info, plus access to their own files...

www.elevenforum.com

Once you have the local account you can, if you wish, switch it to using a Microsoft account. The user folder name will not change if you do so.

flhthemi · Jul 19, 2023

Here's a question...If he had a windows restore point that was prior to messing with the accounts could he use the restore point?

Try3 · Jul 19, 2023

flhthemi said:
Here's a question...If he had a windows restore point that was prior to messing with the accounts could he use the restore point?

Yes, Restore points do contains user account data [another member tested this only a month or so ago].
But

Windows can delete Restore points if it considers that restoring them is no longer viable because of the nature of changes that have been made since.
Restore points are not as reliable as restoring system images.

All the best,
Denis

Flashorn · Jul 19, 2023

If you do have a restore point, I would try it before loading a new account.
Make sure you activate the System Restore and create a new restore point
before making any changes.

Enable or Disable System Restore in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the System Restore for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11. System Restore monitors system changes and saves the system state as a restore point. If a system problem develops as a result of a system change, the user can return the system...

www.elevenforum.com

nunya · Jul 19, 2023

Bree said:
Welcome to Eleven Forum.

You want to create a new local account in the name you wish to use. Only a local account will have a user folder with the same name as the account. Remember to make it an administrator. See these tutorials:

Add Local User Account in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to create and add a local account as a user on the PC in Windows 11. Having different accounts on a shared PC lets multiple people use the same device, all while giving everyone their own sign-in info, plus access to their own files, browser favorites, and...

www.elevenforum.com

Change Account Type in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to change the account type of users to be either a standard user or administrator in Windows 11. Having different accounts on a shared PC lets multiple people use the same device, all while giving everyone their own sign-in info, plus access to their own files...

www.elevenforum.com

Once you have the local account you can, if you wish, switch it to using a Microsoft account. The user folder name will not change if you do so.

Can the contents of other user folders be transferred the new user folder?

Bree · Jul 19, 2023

nunya said:
Can the contents of other user folders be transferred the new user folder?

Yes. Signed in as an administrator with the new account, you can access the old account's user folder to copy or move the files across. When you first try to open another account's user folder you will be challenged. If you click 'Continue' you will get permanent permission to access their folder.

first

LesFerch · Jul 19, 2023

nunya said:
Can the contents of other user folders be transferred the new user folder?

Yes, of course, as long as your current account is an Administrator and not a Standard user. When you use Explorer to open the other folders, you'll get a prompt like this:

Just click Continue. Once you've done that, you can copy or move files between the user folders using Explorer, the command line, or any other tool.

BTW, when you created the local account, I hope you did a single word account name. Trust me, you don't want a space in your user folder name. It will be fine until it's not (i.e. when you try to use a program that can't deal with the space).

nunya · Jul 19, 2023

What I ended up doing was a restore point that got everything back to before messing with things I shouldn't have. Surprisingly, I don't have a whole lot to reinstall. Before doing a restore point I went through making another account, but then sat here contemplating the whole thing, and realized If I lose anything on a restore it wasn't that big of a deal. Just wish I had thought of a restore point before, totally escaped me.

Thank you for all the quick responses, it was helpful and educational. Learned my lesson - come here and ask before pulling a stupid.

Try3 · Jul 19, 2023

nunya said:
Just wish I had thought of a restore point before

A system image would be much better.

All the best,
Denis

Winuser · Jul 19, 2023

@nunya, anytime you want to move any files or folders that you can't afford to lose I suggest that you use Copy and Paste instead of Move. I have lost files using the Move option because something went wrong and the move failed.