Solved Selling old desktop: how to add new user and remove myself

Wisewiz · Feb 13, 2023

It's been so long since I did this trick that I've forgotten how, so I'm showing my ignorance by asking for your help. I have added a new user (with name of new owner), but he doesn't show in C:\Users. And I automatically log in on this desktop without a login procedure or password.
I need to get a login screen with the new user's name on it, log him in (as admin), and delete my local account.

Help needed. 1) Add new user with admin privileges; 2) log in as new user; 3) remove my account and profile from users.

Brink · Feb 13, 2023

Hello Dan,

I think the easiest way would be to reset Windows 11 with "Remove everything" like below.

When you get to step 6G in either option 1 or 2, you use the instructions in the note box under step G) to set up the PC to have an OOBE (Out-of-box Experience) so another user/owner can pick up at this step to finish setting up Windows on the PC with their own account and preferences the next time the PC it turned on.

Reset Windows 11 PC Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to reset Windows 11 and Remove everything or Keep my files. You can reset Windows 11 when your PC isn’t working well and it’s been a while since you installed an app, driver, or update. Resetting reinstalls Windows 11, but lets you choose whether to keep your...

www.elevenforum.com

Bree · Feb 13, 2023

A reset would work, but if you need to keep installed apps then you could create a new user account as you suggest....

Wisewiz said:
Help needed. 1) Add new user with admin privileges;

Add Local User Account in Windows 11 Tutorial

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 desktop settings. You can add a local user account (an offline account) or Microsoft account for a user to...

www.elevenforum.com

Change Account Type in Windows 11 Tutorial

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 desktop settings. You can add a local user account (an offline account) or Microsoft account for a user to...

www.elevenforum.com

Wisewiz said:
2) log in as new user;

Sign out and you will see the new user account to sign in to....

Sign out of Windows 11 Tutorial

When you sign out of Windows, all your open windows and apps are closed, but the computer is not turned off. Another user can sign in without needing to restart the computer. See also: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/sign-out-of-windows-346925bb-024c-cd86-7a53-9066242a9ed3 This...

www.elevenforum.com

Wisewiz said:
3) remove my account and profile from users.

Delete User Account in Windows 11 Tutorial

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 desktop settings. You can add a local user account (an offline account) or Microsoft account for a user to...

www.elevenforum.com

badrobot · Feb 13, 2023

It is the same as selling a used phone, just "reset it to factory settings" and let the buyer set it up on his first use.
Or do a clean install.
If I am the buyer, I would prefer a clean install to make sure there are no garbage left in the OS taking up space.

NavyLCDR · Feb 13, 2023

badrobot said:
If I am the buyer, I would prefer a clean install to make sure there are no garbage left in the OS taking up space.

If I'm the buyer, I am doing my own clean install anyway! I would never trust what was left, or planted on a used computer.

When I sell a computer, I do a clean install, then log in using audit mode to make sure all drivers and updates are done, then use the option in audit mode to shut down to oobe. The buyer gets a computer that is just like getting one off the shelf in a store. That way I don't have to worry about any residual private information being left on the installed drive (that does not require a forensics expert to recover, anyway.)

Wisewiz · Feb 13, 2023

@Brink, @Bree, @badrobot

Many, many thanks for that help and guidance. It's done, and he and I will be happy campers. He's got the selection of software I saved for him, and I'm gone from the accounts list. I'll bet he has a harder time starting out with W11 than I did, because he probably won't use this forum to guide him.

One little thing: If he comes to this forum, he may find that he's logged in as Wisewiz (if the cookie is still there). He's a good friend, and he won't abuse this glitch.

Bree · Feb 13, 2023

Wisewiz said:
If he comes to this forum, he may find that he's logged in as Wisewiz (if the cookie is still there).

Doubt it, those cookies were in the the account you just deleted.

Wisewiz · Feb 13, 2023

Okay, I still have one annoyance to deal with: When I restart, the login screen shows my deleted account name and the message "the password is incorrect." I have to click OK, then click the new owner's name and enter his (temporary) password. How do I get myself OFF the login page?

Bree · Feb 13, 2023

Wisewiz said:
Okay, I still have one annoyance to deal with: When I restart, the login screen shows my deleted account name and the message "the password is incorrect." I have to click OK, then click the new owner's name and enter his (temporary) password. How do I get myself OFF the login page?

That's because you must have set it up to automatically sign in as your (now) deleted account. Turn that off and your name will disappear.

Enable or Disable Automatically Sign in Account at Startup in Windows 11 Tutorial

By default at the startup of Windows 11, you need to dismiss the Lock screen, select the account you want to sign in to on the Sign-in screen, and sign in to the account using the selected sign-in option (ex: password, picture password, PIN (Windows Hello), facial recognition (Windows Hello), or...

www.elevenforum.com

The Pool Man · Feb 13, 2023

badrobot said:
It is the same as selling a used phone, just "reset it to factory settings" and let the buyer set it up on his first use.
Or do a clean install.
If I am the buyer, I would prefer a clean install to make sure there are no garbage left in the OS taking up space.

Badrobot for THE WIN

But as I recently pointed out in a prior post, Windows offers you no reasonable/easy way to shut down the PC once reset. You can force it to shutdown but one of the times I did that it resulted in a messed up boot.

I'm forgetting my precise solution but it involved using a prompt to get into recovery mode. There you're simply offered 'shut down'.

Wisewiz · Feb 13, 2023

@Bree

Got 'er. Thanks again.

pparks1 · Feb 13, 2023

NavyLCDR said:
If I'm the buyer, I am doing my own clean install anyway! I would never trust what was left, or planted on a used computer.

When I sell a computer, I do a clean install, then log in using audit mode to make sure all drivers and updates are done, then use the option in audit mode to shut down to oobe. The buyer gets a computer that is just like getting one off the shelf in a store. That way I don't have to worry about any residual private information being left on the installed drive (that does not require a forensics expert to recover, anyway.)

Yeah, i would never use the default install that a computer came with . I would boot it up long enough to ensure that the basic hardware is working, and then time for a clean install.

Hazel123 · Feb 13, 2023

Could you not do a reset, then set it up with his name and add the apps again? It would be a cleaner start for a new user.

Wisewiz · Feb 13, 2023

My sincere thanks to all of you who chipped in on this thread. I came with little knowledge on the topic, and now "my cup runneth over."

Hazel123 · Feb 14, 2023

I just noticed your thread title. It says you're selling the old desktop

I think normally if selling a computer, it's better to wipe the drive and reinstall, to remove any trace of your own personal information remaining on the drive. A reset might do most of it, but even then, if someone ran a recovery program they could retrieve personal info from the drive. It may be that you trust the person you're selling it to - but then who knows where it will end up in the future, if sold on again.

Wisewiz · Feb 14, 2023

Good counsel, @Hazel123. I’ve done a good wipe with CCleaner, done a clean install from ISO, and reloaded a few utilities I think my friend will want to try. But no ME cookies, no licenses, and no identifiers. Tx. HAND!

Solved Selling old desktop: how to add new user and remove myself

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