Local user accounts got all messed up after computer rename change

Hi

Apologies in advance for this lengthy post. Rather than clogging up the "Change Name of User Profile Folder in Windows 11 Tutorial" thread, I thought that it would be more sensible to start a new one. Please move if necessary.

I need help to clean a mess created when in changing my computer name the local user accounts got all messed up. Unfortunately did not do a system restore point prior to the renaming and any stored were wiped away when before that I did a repair reinstall of Win11 .

The system had created a new standard user profile (meuser.oldcomputername) as well as keeping the original standard user “meuser” profile. Following your instructions I thought that I has resolved it successfully, renamed it to meuser, merged the two and then created the symbolic link as per step 14 but a couple of days ago I started up Tweaking.com’s - Windows Repair which has a “System Reparse Points Facililty – This scan checks for any missing default or corrupted symbolic or junction links.”. I clicked to repair the missing/corrupted links that it found.

I then discovered that it had restored the C:/ User /meuser.oldcomputername folder ( it does not have a profile, SID or any files in it ) whose folders and sub-folders contain 0 files, 0 Folders. – just shown as LNK files which by the way when I click on them. Brings up this window:
[Window Title]
Local Settings
[Main Instruction]
You don't currently have permission to access this folder.
[Content]
Click Continue to permanently get access to this folder.
[Continue] [Cancel]

->Click on Continue and the UAC Edit Security Window comes up – > Enter admin details and I get this window:
[Window Title]
Local Settings
[Main Instruction]
You have been denied permission to access this folder.
[Content]
To gain access to this folder you will need to use the security tab.(underlined link)
[Close]

Clicking on the Security Tab link and opening the Security Tab reveals that both admin users and meuser have Full Control access to ‪C:\Users\ meuser.oldcomputername \Local Settings

Noticed that Users don’t have Full Control and Modify which could be causing the problem ->ticked them clicked on Apply.
[Window Title]i
Error Applying Security
[Main Instruction]
An error occurred while applying security information to
C:\Users\ meuser.oldcomputername \Local Settings
Failed to enumerate Objects in the container. Access is denied.
[Continue] [Cancel

Clicking on **Continue**
[Window Title]
Windows Security
[Main Instruction]
Unable to save permission changes on Local Settings.
Access is denied.
[OK]

Not sure what to do next.

It probably means that even when logged in as an admin user I will not be able to delete the meuser.oldcomputername folder and its subdirectories (Access is denied being thrown up) even thought it is empty of files/data..

Using an admin account I tried renaming the meuser.oldcomputername folder to meuser – this pops up:
Confirm Folder Replace
This destination already contains a folder named meuser.
If any files have the same names, you will be asked if you want to replace those files.
Do you still want to merge this folder
meuser
Date created: ‎Thu ‎30 ‎Apr ‎26 ‏‎00:54
with this one?
meuser.oldcomputername
Date created: ‎Sat ‎09 ‎May ‎26 ‏‎20:11
If I choose yes does it mean that the empty folders in meuser.oldcomputername will replace those I have to keep in the meuser folder or is it the other way around?


Doing a registry search for meuser.oldcomputername reveals a fair few references to it. Can they be deleted (after doing a back up of the registry).
(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
(For instance: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows Search\Gather\Windows\SystemIndex\Sites\LocalHost\Paths\15\\AccessControl)

HKEY_USERS (for instance: HKEY_USERS\*****\Software\Microsoft\Installer\Assemblies\C:|Users| meuser.oldcomputername |AppData|Local|Microsoft|TeamsMeetingAdd-in|1.25.28902|x86|zh-TW|Microsoft.Teams.MeetingAddin.resources.dll) – about 60 similar.

Any assistance will be much appreciated.

Welcome to the forum. Truly I would not know how to straighten this out since you've done a lot...repair install, change computer name, renaming the user name, and using the 3rd party tool. Hopefully someone else can help.

If you played it safe before doing all these things, did you make a system image? If you did, you could restore ithe image and be back to the point before it got all messed up.

I, too, would not know where to start in suggestion a course (or courses) of action. Computer name changes are not usually associated with user account names, so I suspect something else was done, or something else went on behind the scenes

Note changing a user account name is superficial only, for the purpose of signing in, and does not affect the (old) user name contained in the registrt. Hence I always suggest backing up personal data, deleting the (old) account, then restoring data to the new account name

I suspect given what's been done so far, any further attempts may only lead to getting in the proverbial brown stuff even deeper, or even worse, a non-functioning system.

I can only suggest backup personal data (which should have been done, anyway) and prepare yourself for the inevitable possibility of the need for a clean (re)install

Alternatively, swap out your existing drive (keeps the existing system and data intact) and do a clean install on a blank drive. When evrything is up and running, and all personal data restored, format the old drive, put it in an enclosure and use for future imaging and/or backups

newto11 said:

I then discovered that it had restored the C:/ User /meuser.oldcomputername folder

Click to expand...

A user folder name of that structure usually indicates a corrupted original account, and Windows has created a new account. Renaming would be fruitless and confuse the system even further. It just doesn't work that simply

Agree with the above. Please advise whether as glasskutter mentions you had been in the habit of creating 3rd party disk images of your O/S saved to secure storage before you did this?

If so you can restore to 'as was'.

The routine and regular use of disk imaging is strongly recommended to secure your O/S, your data, save you time - something to look into when you again have a working system.

Without that, it's time to rescue what you haven't already backed up, and a clean install.

Hello everyone,

A very heavy cold has kept me bed-ridden over the last few days which unfortunately has delayed my response. Thank you all for your contributions and advice.

No backups done prior to the issues arising (dalchina, glasskutter), used Ashampoo Back up Pro 26 after which naturally includes the meuser.oldcomputername folder.

The system is running smoothly with updates and program installations, users logins working fine so after pondering on your answers I reckon that the best way forward is to leave it be, forget about this folder and its registry entries since it is not an active user with no active data attached to it. A clean install to be considered if things do go awry down the track.

I have downloaded O&O DiskImage 11 (kept away from using disk imaging in the past because I thought that you could only restore an entire computer with them) which has a lot more options and features.

If I may can I ask another question?

I have a backup of Windows 10 including c:\ProgramData\ from a very old computer which gave up the ghost recently. I would like to add the old user profiles to the win11 computer, the local users are the same. Can you please let me know what needs to be copied over and what needs to be ignored?

Or point me to a resource that give instruction on how to do it which I can follow.

Thank you again for your suggestions, help and assistance,

I believe that C:\Users\meuser.oldcomputername folder is NOT a real profile. It is a broken junction that Tweaking.com incorrectly “repaired” and recreated.

If I may can I ask another question?

I have a backup of Windows 10 including c:\ProgramData\ from a very old computer which gave up the ghost recently. I would like to add the old user profiles to the win11 computer, the local users are the same. Can you please let me know what needs to be copied over and what needs to be ignored?

Click to expand...

You can't do things like that yourself, and what you can do with that backup depends on what it includes. See below.

If you wish to transfer a user account, or particular programs in their entirety from one PC to another, then see my thread on Easeus ToDo PC Trans.

This allows you to transfer your selection of programs, data etc from an old installation to a new one. E.g. create a clone of your old PC (or use its system drive) and connect it as a USB disk to your new PC. Then run the program (Laplink PC Mover is somewhat similar) and select what you want.

That's how I built my new Win 11 installation- a huge time saver if you have a lot to transfer.
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Disk imaging- you can image any partitions on any disk. A disk image file is simply a compressed copy of the used parts of the partitions imaged.
Disk imaging supports incremental and differential imaging, meaning effectively a single backup disk can give you several dates to which to restore the imaged partitions, if you have, say, a full image, plus some subsequent differentials.

Complement that with System Restore.
Basic differences: SR doesn't affect personal data, supports a scan which tells you what will change, SR points are created somewhat erratically, so set up a schedule (tenforums tutorial available), SR won't help if your registry is corrupted or your disk failing.
Disk imaging means you can recover from almost anything provided your image files are securely stored in offline storage. A bootable disk means you can restore even to a new disk. However, all changes on that partition including personal data after the date of that image are lost, so before restoring, you need to make appropriate preparations.