Changing PC User Account name -- BAD Idea

 

reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList" /s > 0 & notepad 0

 

Notepad will open please copy paste the output here. (SleepyDude, this is much easier then sending to desktop, just append  0 & notepad 0 )

 

 

This will leave a file named "0" without any file extension lying around! sorry but I don't agree with doing that!

 

I bet that the two of you hadn't seen each other for a long time. 

Edited by TheFrancisco, 26 May 2020 - 03:57 PM.

Hey the two of you,

I hope you're over with your quarrel cause I'd still like to have some assistance... 

I gave you some ...

I gave you some ...

I have re-read your posts and "auto-login" or no "auto-login" makes no difference as the ghost account is still there. "Pin number" or no "Pin number" makes no difference as the ghost account is still there.

If I check " users must enter password blah blah blah" Then all I have to do is give in the pin because the pc directs me automatically to my normal account. BUT if I uncheck "users must enter password blah blah blah" then my pc directs me to the ghost account and I have to manually re-direct it to the one I use.

And to close: this ghost account exists nowhere else in my pc, nowhere else at least where it's visible for a layman like me and hence I cannot delete it and as a consequence, I am here. 

Hi, I don't see any problem with SleepyDude, as a matter of fact I have great respect for there efforts and expertise. We can always have different approaches, and I see no conflict coming from Sleepy Dude. The > 0 & Notepad 0 cmd has been around since win 95 days, it is opening a notepad so it automatically has a .txt extension and when closed you are given the option to save cancel or not save, exactly the same as any other file, if you choose not save it is deleted and there is no 0 file without an extension, if you want to keep it you give it a name and save wherever you prefer, just like the desktop output you gave in your cmd Auth.txt.

I should also mention that it is very useful in the RE, where user profiles are not loaded so windows does not recognize %userprofile% for example, (no user variables are loaded) however notepad is so you can use this to output cmds.

Edited by jenae, 27 May 2020 - 01:32 AM.

 

I gave you some ...

I have re-read your posts and "auto-login" or no "auto-login" makes no difference as the ghost account is still there. "Pin number" or no "Pin number" makes no difference as the ghost account is still there.

If I check " users must enter password blah blah blah" Then all I have to do is give in the pin because the pc directs me automatically to my normal account. BUT if I uncheck "users must enter password blah blah blah" then my pc directs me to the ghost account and I have to manually re-direct it to the one I use.

And to close: this ghost account exists nowhere else in my pc, nowhere else at least where it's visible for a layman like me and hence I cannot delete it and as a consequence, I am here. 

 

My apologies, it seems I credited you with a greater degree of understanding than is warranted.

There is nothing to fix on your PC because, as highlighted above, it is working correctly. I already told you that it makes no sense to set autologin after setting a PIN.

The PIN invokes a new level of security linked to the device, it is not a pointless alternative to the password linked to your account (Microsoft or local). Once you set a PIN you MUST use it to access the device. You cannot avoid using it by selecting autologin. As the PIN also serves for login to your account (on that device) the autologin option is no longer needed.

I hope that explanation is sufficiently clear but you can find detailed information about Windows PIN (and biometric) security if you look.

Hi Misar,

I'm sorry if I do not live up to your intellectual expectations.

I've read attentively your post and apparently you must have a different version of windows 10 than I have, but for the sake of clarity, I'll go and tell you how it happened to me and I hope my memory doesn't betray me.

When I got this pc, brand new, and installed windows 10 I went through some windows that sets it up, I'm sure you know of this, at some point DURING installation I set up a password which the system REQUIRED from me. AFTERWARDS, (i had already set up the password) the installation program informed me that I could use a pin INSTEAD of a password and so I decided for the pin as I figured out it would be easier to remember it (it is). As time went by I forgot the password for I used only the pin and then I got fed up as well of having to give in a pin every time the pc started, and so I googled for "automatic login" and found out that I only had to go to "netplwiz" and uncheck "users must enter a password blah blah", I did that and voilá, from that moment on when I started the pc I NEEDED NOT to give a pin or password as my pc loaded directly to my desktop. The End.

One and a half years later (for two or three weeks) I decided to change the name of my pc and that was the mistake, cause, from that moment on, when I started the pc I'd be directed to a SECOND account, which I never created, and FORCED to write a password. I never created that account and it's untraceble in my pc and that's the reason I'm here.

But, for the sake of the argument, let's say you're right and I'm stupid. The whole issue with Login, password(s), etc, etc does not interest me at all! ALL that I want is to get rid of that ghost account, because I believe when that is done, things will fall into place.

But, if you STILL don't understand what the hell I'm talking about I'm leaving a link for you to visit, for that guy's problem is the same as mine, even the screenshot with two names, but instead of "Tom" you have to replace it with "Francisco", the only BIG difference is that the solution he proposes doesn't work for me, because (as I've mentioned) apart from the start screen I cannot find that ghost account anywhere!

here is the link: https://www.top-password.com/blog/fix-duplicate-user-names-on-windows-10-login-screen/

Edited by TheFrancisco, 27 May 2020 - 04:20 AM.

One of those accounts won't let you log in right?  If so go here and change your password, reboot the pc and try to login again to the account that you could not before.  Write down your nen password this time.  If you can do that maybe we can move forward with something else.

Changing the Name on the Account created this new ghost account right, and did not ever change the Account Name?

This may be a lame suggestion but I see you are struggling with this so just wanted to add some things to try.

I would just perform a clean install.

One of those accounts won't let you log in right?  If so go here and change your password, reboot the pc and try to login again to the account that you could not before.  Write down your nen password this time.  If you can do that maybe we can move forward with something else.

 

Changing the Name on the Account created this new ghost account right, and did not ever change the Account Name?

 

This may be a lame suggestion but I see you are struggling with this so just wanted to add some things to try.

Hi Pcpunk,

I do not want to login to the ghost account, I want it terminated, expunged, destroyed, deleted, erased. Any of these will do. it wasn't changing the name of the account that created this, it was changing the name of the pc.

Any help is good and there's no such thing such as a "lame suggestion" for sometimes the solution comes from the simplest ideas. It has happened to me before.

I would just perform a clean install.

It would be like having a sore thumb and deciding to cut off the hand. The system works flawlessly but I still want that account to be put to death. 

 

I would just perform a clean install.

It would be like having a sore thumb and deciding to cut off the hand. The system works flawlessly but I still want that account to be put to death. 

 

This post makes absolutely no sense. It is like saying;

"My car works flawlessly, it just does not start."

Make up your mind man.

I hesitate to ask but are you sure the "ghost account" is still there?

There may be remnants but is it really an account that could be logged into?

If the answer is no then sadly, as with so many things W10 orientated a clean install will fix it and is quite painless.

If nothing else wait for the feature update and see if the problem goes away.

Edited by aldfort, 27 May 2020 - 09:49 AM.

 

One of those accounts won't let you log in right?  If so go here and change your password, reboot the pc and try to login again to the account that you could not before.  Write down your nen password this time.  If you can do that maybe we can move forward with something else.

 

Changing the Name on the Account created this new ghost account right, and did not ever change the Account Name?

 

This may be a lame suggestion but I see you are struggling with this so just wanted to add some things to try.

Hi Pcpunk,

I do not want to login to the ghost account

 

it wasn't changing the name of the account that created this, it was changing the name of the pc.

I understand but you need to gain control over the computer and that is tied into the MS Account. 

I should have said changing the Name of the PC, question is still the same.  You never ended up with a different Name right, it just created a Duplicate User Name?

What if you change the password and log into what you think is NOT the Ghost account.  Either way you have a computer that you are not in control of until you reset you MS Account PW.

I've seen these problems many times in my travels and we don't usually spend to much time on them because it would cost the customer a fortune.  You've already got lots of high level guidance from expert members, now I am suggesting a low approach. 

I've seen this a few times before, but wasn't involved with fixin it, and many times it was not fixed.

I hesitate to ask but are you sure the "ghost account" is still there?

 

There may be remnants but is it really an account that could be logged into?

 

If the answer is no then sadly, as with so many things W10 orientated a clean install will fix it and is quite painless.

 

If nothing else wait for the feature update and see if the problem goes away.

Hi Aldfort,

I tried to login using the ghost account and something creepy happened.

I had to login using a password for no option for pin was made available (my real account is with pin) I logged on, it accepted my password but (here is the creepy part) when doing that swirl thing (takes one,two seconds) as it logs in, it switched to my normal account and I know this because my normal account has an avatar (which is the same as the one I use here) whereas the ghost account doesn't. creepy right? Any Ideas?